Under My Sea
by winternightlullaby
Summary: Bakugou is one of Yuuei Kingdom's finest (and unhinged) knights. He should have been swelling with pride when King All Might himself personally assigned him as a bodyguard. But he assigned him to his dumbass childhood friend, Deku. What is he protecting him from? …A yandere merman. FUCKING. DEKU.
1. The Fucking Problem

**Hi everyone! Instead of posting that oneshot, I decided to try this story out. This story is meant to have seriousness and crack all at once. You'll see why having a merman after you isn't the best thing in the world. Think of it as the MedievalAU with a literal splash of Mer. Most of the time, it'll be about Bakugou being sick of all this shit.**

 **I honestly don't have a clear direction for this. I'm winging it!**

* * *

It was standard protocol of the of Yuuei knights to remain kneeling and respectful in the presence of their king. About ninety-nine percent of the knights were following that rule.

Bakugou Katsuki had shouted some profanities as his king gave him, Kirishima Eijirou, Iida Tenya and Tokoyami Fumikage their assignment to protect the Crown Prince of Yuuei.

"I HAVE TO PROTECT THE FUCKING NERD?! WHAT SHIT DID HE GET INTO THIS TIME?!" he shouted, Kirishima hurrying to shush him while Iida waved his hands wildly for order.

"Bakugou-kun! You will remain silent before our king!" he stated, boldly getting in Bakugou's face and shoving him into a kneeling position. All Might remained enthusiastic as ever, their strong, merciful king consistently merry.

"That's all right, Iida-kun! However," his tone became curt and unconquerable, leaving no room for further interruptions, "the reason why I am assigning you boys this task is more than just duties as bodyguards. Come with me to the conference hall so I may discuss this further. Midoriya-shounen."

He nodded to the prince, a sheepish boy with forest green hair and wearing simple clothes despite his status. Midoriya faithfully rose and headed to the conference hall, the knights and servants bowing before him. He was All Might's chosen heir, after all. He was given the privilege to take All Might's place as king, being number one in strategy and strength combined. While not physically the strongest, he had the drive and determination no other person could reach. Throw a challenge his way, he could outsmart it and come out stronger even if he broke an arm. His good heart had the people in awe and gratitude. He was going to be the king their people wanted, needed and deserved.

Everything seemed pretty serious. It made Bakugou just a little curious. The fucking nerd was typically able to handle himself despite being a crybaby weakling at times. He was serious when he asked what shit Deku got himself into. He was a magnet for trouble without looking for it.

Midoriya had been out at sea for three weeks with the Shiketsu division to attend to some royal business. He had only returned the night before and they held a dinner party for his return. Everything had seemed normal for the most part.

He rose and followed his group to the conference hall, Iida yapping away about remembering their manners despite being Midoriya's friends.

In the conference room, Midoriya looked like he was constipated or something. He kept looking out the window towards the vast blue sea that hugged the shores of the kingdom. Bakugou could never understand what went on in the nerd's mind. He wasn't going to risk a lobotomy to find out.

All Might sat in his large chair, gesturing the others to follow suit.

"The reason why I have assigned you all as personal bodyguards for Midoriya is because we have a situation that I don't want known by the people. It could send unnecessary fear to the people and halt sea trade. It isn't something people should fear, but we must remain aware and cautious." Bakugou leaned in along with his fellow knights. A secret mission? Midoriya suddenly looked guilty on top of uncomfortable. All Might cleared his throat, folding his hands.

"A merman has fallen for Midoriya-shounen." The silence was so deafening, you could hear a pin drop. A…merman? There was a unison of horror on Kirishima, Tokoyami and Iida's faces. And pure, unadulterated rage on Bakugou's. His knees were on the table as he attempted to lunge at Deku, but Kirishima held him back.

"YOU'VE GOT A FUCKING FISH STALKING YOU?! FUCKING DEKU! I CAN'T LEAVE YOUR DUMB ASS ALONE FOR TEN MINUTES WITHOUT YOU GETTING IN TROUBLE, YOU LITTLE SHIT!" A fucking mer. A species full of shitty yanderes that the knights had learned about during their education. Kirishima and Iida manhandled him back into the chair. Wiping sweat from his brow, Kirishima turned to the sheepish Midoriya and nonchalant king.

"I thought the Shiketsu division was with Midoriya out at sea? How did the mer see him with them around?" Inasa was pretty gungho about protecting Midoriya and had even tried encasing Midoriya in a whirlwind before setting sail. The idea was quickly nixed. How'd they fuck up? Tokoyami was using Dark Shadow to hold Bakugou in his seat as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"It means the Shiketsu division was preoccupied with the storm. I heard there was quite a bit of a turbulence at sea a few nights ago. Midoriya must have been alone when the mer saw him." Midoriya finally spoke, cheeks rosy red like a stupid virgin in love.

"I-I was…b-but it-it wasn't like he was looking for me! We-we ki-kinda just…ran into each other." Mers were known to be seductive. They had once heard of a ship that crashed when a mermaid used her beautiful voice to lure the sea poachers into a cliff. Deku was probably discombobulated. Iida sighed deeply, upset that Midoriya could possibly be under the influence of a psycho mer.

"One look from a mer is all you need for them to become infatuated, if their instincts tell them that you're their mate. They're known for being…persistent? Would you say so, Your Highness?" Iida didn't want to sound so insulting if All Might didn't condone it.

"Persistent is a broad term. Merfolk culture is different from ours. They stop at nothing to have who they desire. Murder is typical." Someone hissed, verbally wincing. Mers were pretty much insane compared to humans. Mers mate for life and had undying devotion to their mates. Well, divorce probably wasn't much of an option. All Might grinned at his uneasy successor and patted his shoulder.

"We will protect you, Midoriya-shounen. We must also act to find this mysterious mer and identify him. If possible, we could do negotiations and come to an understanding. Luckily Aizawa-sensei's quirk can cancel the mer's abilities if he tries to use them on Midoriya-shounen again. Your primary duty is to protect Midoriya." All Might's kind exterior changed to that of a powerful king. "Am I clear?"

The knights rose, Bakugou reluctantly, and bowed.

"Hai!"

* * *

"Fuck you, Deku. I can't believe you got mixed up with a mer," grumbled Bakugou, more annoyed than enraged. He had a task now and couldn't waste his energy screaming. Midoriya sighed, feeling a little claustrophobic with his friends in a tight circle around him.

"I didn't ask to have a merman obsess over me…" But it's not like he minded deep down. The mer was super handsome and it was really kind. Maybe it was because the merman had a crush on him, but it made Izuku feel warm and tingly inside. Bakugou couldn't handle all of this shit Deku puts everyone through, even if he didn't mean it. If he weren't the crown prince, he'd whoop his ass and put him in a jail cell.

"Whatever, Deku. We're gonna make sure your dumb ass doesn't get kidnapped or turned into fish food. From now on, I say you stay away from the ocean. Fuck the water. Who needs it anyway? That's like dressing yourself up for that mershit's dinner." Midoriya sighed. As usual, Bakugou was too extreme.

"Whatever you say, Kacchan." Was that...attitude?! Small explosions went off in his hands, menacing fingers pointing at the prince.

"Don't give me lip, you shitty nerd! You know I'm right!" He was soon ignored as the group walked out of the castle to the courtyard. The Shiketsu division were all dressed in their usual armor and chatting with a couple servants and officials. A familiar face caught their attention.

"Ah, Inasa-kun!" Iida called out, catching other male's attention. Yoarashi Inasa grinned broadly and waved at them, beckoning them closer and staring at how the group was surrounding the prince. Bakugou lost his temper again at seeing the reason why they had to do this task to begin with.

"SHIT-KETSU! LOOK WHAT YOU ASSHOLES DID! NOW WE GOTTA WATCH THIS NERD!" Yoarashi straightened instantly and bowed his head low and fast enough to smash his forehead to the ground. He couldn't feel the damage it did, but the results spoke from themselves.

"Our deepest apologies!" As he rose, they all cringed at seeing blood running down freely from a new cut on his head. Tokoyami recovered first and sighed.

"Ignore Bakugou, he's just being a demon as usual." He didn't even flinch when Bakugou gave him his signature glare.

"Shut it, birdbrain!" Tokoyami dutifully ignored him and nodded towards the group as some members were hauling their luggage out towards an awaiting carriage.

"Anyway, are you all setting out?" Yoarashi grinned again when he looked over his shoulder and saw Shishimura give him a thumbs up.

"Yes. We are going by carriage. It's not safe to sail. Our sensei advised us against it because he's afraid the mer will target us." Mers had quirks too. Judging by what they saw, it seemed like the merman they encountered had an ice quirk. Everyone's immediate thought was worrying about sudden icebergs.

Midoriya suddenly felt guilt pool in his stomach. His carelessness put everyone in danger, but no one really saw it that way. All the blame fell on the merman and the storm that caused Midoriya to think he needed to be out there. That made him feel even worse. Yoarashi saw Midoriya's frown and reached a hand out to grab his shoulder.

"Don't be sad, Midoriya-ouji! I would much rather have the target on our backs than yours. Our kingdom needs you more than I will be needed." Midoriya looked up, again frowning. He didn't like it when others would blatantly put themselves in harm's way for him.

"Inasa-kun..." The taller male patted him firmly.

"You don't have anything to worry about. We'll be fine." It was best to assure the prince. The whole division was on high alert now and Inasa could only blame himself for not killing the merman on site. He had only thought to get him away from the prince. Kirishima hummed out loud, scratching his chin.

"What exactly happened out there?" Both Midoriya and Yoarashi hesitated. It was a night they'd much rather forget. Well, not so much Midoriya.

* * *

 _Returning to Yuuei turned out to be quite cumbersome. The storm wasn't settling like they originally predicted, motivating Inasa to use his quirk and balance out the strong winds disturbing the sails. The waters were still rocky, but everyone was able to maintain some stability as they waited the storm out. The main issue was that Inasa needed to be out on the deck to see the winds and control them. Even with his broad stature, he was faltering against the strong currents that threatened to overtake the ship._

 _Midoriya didn't like the idea of someone risking their life while he sat and did nothing. The others were too busy trying to make sure the rest of the crew was okay to notice that he made a move. He managed to stumble out of his quarters, body glowing with One for All so that he could step in and grab Inasa in case he was in danger. He had done it during the smaller storm they experienced on land. It could work again._

 _A large wave crashed into the ship, lurching it violently to the side and sending Midoriya flying towards the side. He couldn't tell how he was oriented, but he braced for impact as everything in his sight became a blur._

 _What met him wasn't the wooden railing of the boat. Instead, he fell into the embrace of soft, powdery snow. The shock of the cold was enough to snap him out of his thoughts, looking around wildly. Someone saved him?_

 _A heavy thud caught his attention as he sat up in the snow, looking over until he saw a sight that contrasted the storm around him._

 _A merman was looking right at him. He looked around his age, with snow white hair on his right side and crimson red on the left. He had heterochromatic eyes, the left a bright ocean blue and the right a cloudy grey. His tail was massive and long, a mix of silvery white and blazing red that cascaded down to the fins. He looked handsome with the moonlight streaming down as time around them froze. Midoriya's cheeks blushed with appreciation._

 _The mer seemed to think the same, slowly crawling towards him in awe, reaching a hand out to caress the soft cheeks of the adorable boy before him. Despite the storm around them that was beginning to stop, Midoriya could hear the faint clicking that rose from the merman's mouth. They sounded pleasant to his ears like a soft melody._

 _"Midoriya-ouji!" Inasa could be seen running towards him with several of his friends, jaw dropping when they saw the being next to him. He was a stronger looking mer than the ones they studied in the books. What disturbed them was the look of adoration in his eyes when he was looking at their prince. He was so enamored that he didn't notice them approach._

 _"A mer!" Camie screamed. At her scream, the merman finally snapped out of his reverie and glanced over to them. Inasa didn't hesitate, sending a burst of wind towards the mer. Surprised, the mer was shot off the side and fell back into the water, a deadly hiss following his descent. Before he broke the water's surface, everyone except Midoriya saw the look of pure hatred in his eyes before he dove into the depths._

* * *

"The merman already sees me and my friends as targets and obstacles for Midoriya-ouji. We have to leave now for attacking him directly." Behind him, his friends agreed. Being vigilant was normal, but mers were tricky beings and it was suspected that several had the means to get on land. Bakugou scoffed.

"Should've gone for the kill, Shit-ketsu." Yoarashi couldn't fault his thinking. He wished he had reacted differently that night. Camie whistled for him to know that their carriage was ready.

"Maybe. It was just chaotic that day. We have to go now. Be safe, ouji-sama." He bowed to the prince, the others following suit. Midoriya nodded to them.

"You too..." The group parted ways and left the Yuuei Knights with their prince watching them leave. Bakugou grumbled as he processed all the information from today in his head.

"Fucking creepy mers."

* * *

 **Let me know what you think! I haven't really attempted something like this before. At least not successfully.**


	2. The Fucking Yandere Merfolk

**We're gonna go into merfolk territory! Expect long explanations as I try to establish merfolk behavior and history. People are gonna be out of character, so expect that too! Thank you all so much for your follows and favorites. I appreciate your kind reviews even more! Thank you for being so encouraging and for giving this fic a chance. I hope each chapter will answer any questions you have.**

 **Oh, and I still don't have a clear direction. My winging-it skills are on full overdrive!**

* * *

In the depths of the sparkling sea, the Kingdom of Endeavor thrived among the coral cities and bounty of ocean life below. The kingdom was founded and ruled by the Todoroki clan, a clan of fire quirks that defied the very existence of water. Kings of the clan were capable of constantly maintaining intense fire under the water. While other clan members could burn their flames under the water, the king was on a completely different level. Trespassers on their land would feel the burn from the flames of Todoroki. Endeavor himself was named after the kingdom his ancestors founded before him as a gesture of good luck from his clan's shamans. His fire made his mark of a ferocious King who could rule with an iron fist. He was said to be one of the most ambitious leaders of the kingdom and had met with the King of Yuuei a few times in order to negotiate trade over their waters. While most kings could at least be civil to the human kings, Endeavor was openly disdainful. All Might's strength rivaled his.

Endeavor had four children with the ice mermaid, Rei. Stories about her involved how her angelic voice and beautiful face made others swoon at either hearing or seeing her. Have both at the same time and it was instantly love at first sight for many mers. Together, they birthed capable children with the youngest having the perfect marriage of their quirks. Touya, called Dabi by his friends, carried fire with the skill of his father. Fuyumi was the very definition of an ice princess with the voice that could lure sailors to an icy demise, but she rarely used it unless they hunted her people. Natsuo could shroud the surface and waters with a thick fog that hid the treachery of the ocean until it was too late to act. Together, he and Dabi caused trouble and were the types of mers humans made fearful stories about. Shouto was the perfection. Fire that can burn through water, ice that could trap everything in its path within a wide radius. He was the perfect candidate as the next ruler of the kingdom with no hesitance in combat and the ferocity of a dominate mer.

But the youngest prince wasn't being himself in the last few days and Endeavor refused to stand for it. Constantly spacing out and making common mistakes left and right. If one called out his name, he would simply ignore them and continue gazing out the window.

Endeavor ordered the youngest prince to the throne room in order to find out the problem and get rid of it once and for all. He sat on his throne with his massive red tail trailing down the chair. His flames were constantly burning around him, ignoring the surrounding water. Beside him, Rei sat on the arm rest of the throne with her snowy tail draped elegantly over the side. Shouto knelt before the king as duty recalled, his tail tucked underneath him.

"Shouto! You have been lacking motivation as of late. You need to be headstrong if you're going to take the throne and we have no uses for a weak mer to take on the responsibility of ruling this kingdom!" Shouto twitched. He was so loud...

"I didn't exactly want the throne. You're just thrusting that responsibility on me." Endeavor rolled his eyes. Despite his son's words, he was working hard for the sake of gaining power to protect the innocent.

"You are best suited to take over. Your oldest brother is more suited for the shadows than the throne. Your sister will be married and take the name of her husband. This kingdom belongs to our clan, not Hawks'. Your other brother is a buffoon, despite his good intentions. You have the talent, the drive and the power to become the next king. But your mind has been cloudy." Endeavor wasn't the best at emotional talk. Rei held up a hand to calm her husband and smiled at her son.

"What troubles you, Shouto?" she asked, her sweet voice that allured many giving her son a sense of calm.

"..." While calm, Shouto was now embarrassed to speak. As usual, Endeavor took it as hesitance and defiance.

"Your mother asked you a question! You will respond to your queen!" Shouto grit his teeth, forcing himself to not shout as he thought of how to word his thoughts to his mother.

"...there's been something on my mind." Well, that much was true. Rei was patient as ever.

"Oh? And what would that be?" His mother he could trust to not tease him, but his father...

"Does _he_ need to be here?" He grimaced in his father's direction. Endeavor returned his grimace with a glare.

"As the king with the future of his kingdom in jeopardy, yes." Dramatic as usual. Shouto swallowed thickly as his mind wandered to the adorable human he met on the ship that fateful night.

"...fine. I met...a human. And I can't get my mind off him." He didn't think he ever wanted to. Ever since meeting him, the colors of the ocean and the kingdom seemed brighter. But it was hard to enjoy it. There was this constant emptiness he felt along with meeting that boy. In response, both parents answered with different intentions.

"Are you in love?!"

"Are you hungry for human flesh?" You don't even need to guess on who said what. Shouto shook his head.

"Possibly. And hell no to that." He frowned at Endeavor's ridiculous insinuation. Imagining the boy again took his mind off his father and brought a rare, warm smile on his face. Despite his usual cold exterior, he was smiling at just the idea of that adorable human looking at him so innocently.

"I can't stop thinking about his smile. And his kind eyes. Something inside me is stirring and it doesn't feel unpleasant. My body moved on its own because I just wanted to touch him. I tried to get closer to him, but a horde of humans drove me away. I want to see him again and keep him with me. He's mine, but he's not here and it feels wrong. My claws ache for the blood of those who kept me away from him." His last thoughts drove his claws to extend further out of his fingers as they thirsted for blood. His heart was warm from imagining the one to be his mate and raced at the idea of having people daring to step in between them.

Endeavor looked disgusted. Warm emotions weren't his forte, but strength and pride were.

"Ugh, it _is_ love. We mers crave the touch of our mates when we meet them. Any who try to get in the way of that are torn to shreds with the corpses strewn on the ocean floor as a warning to other mers who dare to steal the attention we want. Of course you'd be complicated and want a human mate. Humans don't understand the nature of our rituals. They are disgusted by our ways and I tire thinking about the days when I tried to explain to the King of Yuuei about the importance of killing rivals for a hand in marriage. I fought and nearly turned the Todoroki waters red for your mother's hand against her other suitors. To humans, I'd be a monster. Hawks tricked a suitor of your sister to the surface and called a flock of gulls that nearly plucked his eyes out. Again, humans would be horrified while we see it as cunning."

Hawks was one of the kingdom's strongest warriors and the highlight of his life wasn't being recognized for it by others, but that it introduced him to Fuyumi. He was very loving to Fuyumi and was trying to court her, but when he learned of a potential rival for her, his eyes turned black and he disappeared for a while with her suitor. The scales of his tail resembled feathers, shooting out like blades and pinning the suitor to the boulders on the surface. The birds almost ate his eyes and the sun threatened to dry him out before Hawks freed him once the suitor promised to step back.

But that was mers against mers. It sounded like Endeavor wasn't receptive to the idea of his son having a human mate.

"So there's no way of getting him?" Even if Endeavor denied him, he'd still chase his human and bring him to the beautiful kingdom under the sea. Endeavor scoffed.

"Of course there's a way. We are the Todoroki. The impossible is a limit we break. My great-grandmother enticed her human mate into the waters and had a sea witch change him into a mer. He got used to our world with time. You want this boy as your mate so badly?" Shouto stayed quiet.

"..." That was as much of an answer as Endeavor was going to get.

"...very well. Go and talk to your friends in the city. I need a minute to think. Isn't Yaoyorozu Momo a sea witch?" Shouto shrugged a little. She wasn't exactly a royal sea witch yet, but she was still learning. Her creation quirk was skyrocketing her chances to become a great witch.

"She's dabbled in magic before." A distraction and a possible solution if needed. Endeavor waved him away.

"Then bother her for a bit." Shouto bowed his head once more and quickly left the hall, tail flashing in the sunlight that streamed down before the tail disappeared with him. Endeavor turned to Rei with a firm frown on his face.

"He's in love with a human." Rei smiled, giggling happily now that her son was finally in love. It was a mer's rite of passage to fall in love and battle for the hand of their love. She and Fuyumi were lucky enough that they had others fight over one another for them.

"A human! It's interesting to say the least. I do want to meet him. He sounds lovely." Her Shouto used such pleasant words. Maybe it was his feelings talking, but Shouto was honest. If he saw that in his mate, it must've been true and Rei wanted to meet the one who captured his heart. Endeavor grunted.

"Don't be too interested in him. _I_ am your mate." She simply bowed her head in affirmation and curled her tail around his tenderly while he turned to one of the guards near the entrance of the hall.

"You, get my sons here." The guard saluted.

"Hai!"

* * *

Dabi and Natsuo were whistling when their parents related the story Shouto shared about the night he met his mate. Both brothers looked like opposites. Dabi's hair was as black as his tail, the latter a recessive trait found in the Todoroki clan. His hair wasn't always black. After a bitter match against a fellow mer, he was heavily scarred and his skin had been burnt as a result of him overusing his quirk to gain victory. He refused any potions to heal his scars because of his historic fight. He dyed his hair to match his tail simply because it felt right to do so. He went by Dabi out in the city to make friends since everyone seemed to be too careful with their words and actions around him. Well, that came with being a part of the royal family. Natsuo matched his mother in terms of the white tail and hair, but his personality was more like his father's. They were all fiercely stubborn, but they could agree that if one of them needed help, the others would be the first ones to their aid. Like now.

"Shouto's in love?" Dabi asked. His little brother rarely sought out other mers in the kingdom. He was often indifferent. Then again, so was he until he met Himiko. It was exhilarating to find someone as crazy as him. Endeavor grunted before he nodded once.

"Yes. But the boy is a human." Natsuo did a double take. It was already surprising enough for Shouto to be interested in someone, let alone another species.

"Human? Boy?" He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "How are they gonna have kids? Who's gonna carry the next generation?"

Endeavor had already thought that part through. Sea witches were going to be vital. Sea witches had once been the bane of merfolk existence long ago before his time. They constantly made up ridiculous contracts to trick mers into servitude for a wish. The Todoroki clan refused to cower to them and one of their strong mermaids stormed the hut of a powerful witch, killing her slowly to make an example to the other witches to bow down to the clan. No one dared to cross the royal family and the sea witches offered to become servants to them in exchange for their lives.

"We have instances where mers use the sea witches to make males fertile like a female. A couple gold coins or pearls and a witch can make you capable of pregnancy. It would be up to Shouto after to impregnate that boy. But we need to get that boy down here first and you two are going to help him for the task. Give him influence or something. You two are more than capable of that." They both bowed their heads.

"For our little brother and the prince, we'll get it done."

* * *

Momo's luxurious potion room was just as messy as ever. She must have reached a breakthrough for a potion and went crazy to perfect it. Witches didn't simply give other witches the recipes of their potions. It was a rite of passage to learn them meticulously and earn the title of a true witch. Momo's mother was one of the palace's sea witches and she refused to give her own daughter her books and Momo understood that. But that lead to a lot of sleepless nights for her.

She was zipping around in excitement with her gold and red tail flailing behind her, the sleepiness she felt earlier washed away. Shouto had to flinch at how bright she was.

"This is the first time I've ever seen you want someone. Out of everyone in the kingdom, you chose someone who isn't in it. That's so unique!" Shouto sighed. Sometimes unique wasn't a good thing. It could make things complicated.

"I know." She finally sat down on a chair, gesturing for him to sit too.

"I want to hear it! All the details! How did you see him?" Shouto wondered himself sometimes. Fate had a funny way of doing things.

* * *

 _Todoroki had felt the storm inside the ocean. Luckily storms had very little effect on merfolk with the kingdom and villages being deep in the depths. Mers used storms to test their endurance and toughness, his father commonly sending platoons towards the storms to get used to the turbulent current. Now it was Shouto's turn even though this was the umpteenth time. He took a deep breath and let the water reel him towards the storm._

 _But as Shouto swam and batted his tail against the waters like he usually did to train, a large shadow blocked the moonlight. Concerned, he glanced towards the surface, curiosity instantly spiking when he saw the cause._

 _A giant ship had been caught in the storm. Did humans not know how to read the weather to prevent getting caught? His mother loved to talk about showing humans compassion, the opposite of Endeavor's indifference. But Shouto had a heart and curiosity. He swam up to the surface and was greeted by the deafening sounds of the storm._

 _It was one hell of a storm. The wind was heavy and could easily destroy the boat. Whoever was on the boat had a wind quirk, desperately trying to direct the current away from the sails so the boat could escape._ 'Might as well see if they need help. I'm not a bad person,' _Todoroki thought, using his ice and the water to create an ice pedestal that pushed him out of the water and towards the side of the boat._

 _At that moment, a wave crashed into the other side of the boat, causing it to lurch. As soon as Shouto reached the top, a body came flying towards the side he was on. Instinctively, he created a mound of snow to protect himself and save the human. A gasp could be heard from the snow and Shouto pulled himself onto the boat to check on the person he just saved._

 _His breath was stolen away as soon as his eyes met the glossy green of the boy he saved. He had messy dark green hair, a cute round face, adorable freckles dotting his skin. He looked so confused, then saw Shouto and froze just like he did. Holy shit, this human was cute. More than cute. He was magnetic, drawing Shouto closer to him. And he was blushing. Like Todoroki didn't need more reasons to call him cute. His chest felt comfortably warm and heat was stirring in his nether regions._

 _He opened his mouth and instantly began clicking in his mother tongue. It surprised him. Clicking was only used towards mates. So could this be...? No, not 'could,' it is. This is his mate. He reached out to caress his mate's cheek, skin tingling at how soft he was. From what he could see in his eyes, the boy liked it._

 _"A mer!" Shouto glanced up, hearing the scream and finding no interest. But he was suddenly hit by wind, immediately recognizing it as the one who was trying to save the boat. He hissed, the sound sinister and threatening towards whoever was keeping him from his mate. Before he fell back into the ocean, he looked up and saw a whole group of people who were running towards him on the boat. Memorizing their faces and burning it into memory, he grit his teeth._

'I'm going to find and kill every last one of you,' _he promised silently, turning his tail to dive into the water._

* * *

"Those bastards kept me from getting closer to my mate. I couldn't even get the chance to speak to him without them using that quirk on me." Todoroki's fists were clenched so tight that it almost drew blood.

"Humans are frightened of us. Our ways of mating and courting are too territorial and violent in their eyes." Momo said it as if it were plain as day. Her father was accustomed to working with humans. He was a merchant and often met with humans to help discuss sea trade alongside Endeavor. He always came home with stories to tell his families and this was one of many. Shouto raised a brow, confused at why humans could be scared.

"We aren't violent towards our mates. Just the ones who try to come in between us. We mate for life and never stop loving our mates. Humans do sometimes." Endeavor said it was called 'divorce.' The word itself sounded as ugly as the action. Momo shrugged. She understood why humans could be scared, but she was no different from her people. Killing other suitors was the same as killing krill. Both were small and insignificant.

"I can't say you're wrong. But the real question is what you want to do with your mate. He's human and you're merfolk. It boils down to which world you plan to live in." It was already decided. Shouto wanted to give his mate the whole world and that was by making him his queen. He longed to at least know his name so he could fantasize and practice calling his name as a queen until it was perfect on his tongue.

"That's why I'm here. Do you have something that will turn him into one of us? Or to get him used to living in the sea?" At this, Momo's smile faltered. She nervously looked towards the failed potion she had been working on before he came in.

"I'm working on a potion that can turn a human into a mer. I want one as soon as possible." Todoroki stared at her questioningly.

"For what?" She was starry-eyed as she swept the failed creation off her table and into a trashcan.

"Oh. I fancy this lovely bard I saw on the shore one day. She was singing to the ocean and she sounded so lovely. Her voice could match a mermaid's." She was twirling around now, Shouto dodging nimbly from her tail.

"I'm surprised you didn't net her down here in the same minute you saw her." If she had tears in her eyes, he couldn't tell thanks to the ocean.

"I wanted to! But I didn't want to drag her down here without completing the potion to change her into a mermaid. A mer's kiss can grant you the ability to breathe underwater, but without a tail, she'd float back to the top."

"Then you can tie her to your side until the potion's done." The words were taken out of his mouth. Dabi and Natsuo both weaseled in, much to the younger mers' surprise.

"Todoroki-sama! I didn't know you two were coming." She glanced over at Shouto, who shook his head.

"Neither did I." Dabi shrugged.

"We came to see what your master plan was to snag your mate." Some mers who found their lovers on land would use potions to turn themselves human. Todoroki couldn't go that route as their prince. Momo smiled over at the youngest.

"I do have potions that can change us human!" At once, the older brothers groaned, much to her dismay. She swished her tail behind her in offense. "It can work!"

Natsuo frowned. "Sure, but land life over ours? Down here, Shouto can impress his mate with our entire treasury. He can take him swimming and introduce him to a whole new world. Up there? Less impressive and it can dry you out. The human world's a complete mess and it even comes to us sometimes."

Shouto didn't seem to care much. He just wanted the best opportunity to meet his mate. Dabi sighed. He had to convince him otherwise or else Endeavor's nagging would haunt him for the next decade. He ran a hand through his hair, wondering if he should've dragged Fuyumi over to help get the point across.

"Alright, Shouto. Natsuo and I have gotta let you know..." Shouto blinked at his brother, who looked like he really wanted to die. "The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's-"

This sounded like it was going to be painful and Shouto didn't want to be a part of the damage.

"Touya-nii, I get it." Full blown relief echoed on his face, a hand on his chest.

"Oh, thank fuck." He didn't have to embarrass himself. He cleared his throat, whipping his hand out to smack Natsuo on the head for laughing. "So, you wanna bring him down to us, not the other way around?"

Shouto scoffed. He had been to land before with Asui Tsuyu, the froggy barmaid who frequented their waters every so often for a swim. He really wasn't impressed. He didn't want to have his mate continue such an uneventful life on the surface.

"Of course. Our kingdom is perfect. He can rule by my side with me. Unless there's some talk about rejecting my mate." He glared at his brothers, knowing fully well that their father must have given them orders to keep an eye on him. They wouldn't be here otherwise.

Neither brother wanted to handle hormonal Shouto.

"Of course not. But we wanna know what you want to do first to find him. And get him. In the old man's eyes, it's best to bring him here. You're the prince and next in line for the throne," Dabi reminded, smirking when his little brother made a face. He hated being reminded about that. That's why Dabi did it at least once a week.

Instead of Shouto freezing Dabi like he normally would, he sat down to think about what he would do to get his mate's attention. He had already heard him chirp at him before. If legends were true, a human who falls in love with a mer would never forget the sound. Fuyumi and his mother were both capable of that. He was surprised that he chirped at the human. It was a gentle gesture that was intimate and between mates. Mers and humans spoke the same language, but mers still had their ancient mother tongue that was used in gestures of mating. Endeavor never clicked at Rei unless they were behind closed doors.

Instead of saying hello like a normal person, greeting his potential mate and proclaim his love for him, Shouto...chirped. If he mentioned that to his brothers, he wouldn't hear the end of it for days. The babies he will make with his mate will be told of it for every bedtime story if Dabi knew.

"I'll go to the surface to find him. At night, of course, I don't want other humans to see me. Alone," he added with a glare. He didn't want to see how his brothers were like as wingmen. Momo floated towards him with a beaming smile on her face.

"I want to come at least! I'd love to see mine again!" Shouto nodded, knowing she'd be the least embarrassing to work with. They will go in the evening by themselves. Dabi and Natsuo shrugged at each other. They'd let them go this time, but if Shouto came back feeling discouraged, they had a couple ideas that could help. They both had mates too. Dabi was pretty sure Himiko was going to be a great help in this.

Evening couldn't have come any sooner. Shouto and Momo both met up after their dinner with family before they would head to the surface together. Momo couldn't be happier since she knew exactly where her beloved mate would be at this time of day.

"Todoroki-ouji! Are you ready to head to the surface?" His response was a simple nod before both mers took off towards the surface of the water. It may take time to find his mate, but Todoroki had every intention to find him tonight.

* * *

 **I should've made Dabi sing all of 'Under the Sea.' I watched so many replays of that scene while writing this. That and 'Poor Unfortunate Souls.' And then I watched Winnie the Pooh. I'm a child at heart. I'm saving to go to Disneyland, as you might tell.**

 **Will Todoroki meet Midoriya in the next chapter? Can Bakugou and friends protect him?**


	3. On Fucking Land

**I'm so happy to for your kind words and attention! Thank you all for giving this a try. I normally try to respond to reviews when I can, so hopefully I can continue the habit. For everyone who reviewed in chapter one, I'm so sorry! I don't like leaving you all hanging, but thank you so much for being kind enough to leave me a review!**

 _Ahikodoesstuff_ **: Thank you! The story's just starting out, so I hope you continue to enjoy it. How will Midoriya react? Will he push Todoroki away or be seduced by him? I dunno, still winging it lol.**

 _GUEST00197_ **: Hahaha I admit that I wanted Momo to be more sympathetic with humans, but her behavior is just like normal mers. I DO NOT UPLOAD FAST. The first two chapters of a story I make are always fast. It's only a matter of time before I take forever. Thanks, school.**

 _Kichou_ **: Todoroki will always be lovestruck for Midoriya. I LOVE writing him that way!**

* * *

When the two broke into the surface, the sun had just begun sinking into the horizon. Momo was his guide around Musutafu City, knowing the region better than Todoroki. All he knew was that it was the capital of Yuuei where King All Might ruled with his protégé learning in his footsteps. Momo took a look around the shore, knowing exactly where her mate would be. She gasped when a familiar figure stood on the pearly sand in the distance.

"Todoroki-ouji! That's my mate on the shore!" Todoroki gazed over with little interest, noticing a girl wearing commoner clothing with pants and a dark purple tank top. In her hands was a small ukulele that she was strumming. Her ears had something strange dangling from them, but he wasn't that curious to ask. Her expression was gentle and her mouth was moving, but they couldn't hear anything so far away. Before he could stop her, Momo dove into the water and swam towards the shore, still keeping a distance away so she couldn't be seen. Todoroki grit his teeth and followed her. He wanted to find his mate. This trip was mainly about him.

Momo reached a comfortable spot and poked her head out of the water, staying out of her mate's field of vision. She sighed as the soft voice of her beloved reached her ears.

"She sounds so beautiful, doesn't she?" she gushed. Todoroki grunted.

"I guess." He would much rather hear his mate's voice right now.

"Jirou!" a voice called out, a blonde male running towards her with a goofy grin on his face. Jirou quickly stopped her song, looking over and grinning.

"Kaminari!" Momo's heart plummeted. Her mate was smiling at someone else. Whoever this was was getting close to her mate in ways Momo could only imagine. Todoroki could feel her tail batting inside of the water. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a net slowly coming out of Momo's arm. In her mind, all she could see was wrapping this net around the male and drowning him in shallow water. Todoroki impatiently shoved her back into the ocean, snapping her out of it. He wasn't planning on having any side issues occur when all he wanted was to see his mate. Momo hissed, but quickly came to her senses when she saw how pissed Todoroki was. She bowed her head in shame and turned back to her mate.

The blonde shouted her name again, running towards her and giving her a friendly grin.

"Aren't you headed to the tavern? Kirishima sent you an invite, right?" he asked. Jirou nodded, hiding her ukulele behind her back.

"Yeah, I am. I'm surprised it's the tavern tonight. We usually have our weekly night out by the shoreside." The blonde tapped his chin.

"Yeah, but Kirishima said Bakugou insisted. Something about 'fuck the water' and that they can't risk it." Her brows furrowed in suspicion.

"Risk what exactly?" Kaminari shrugged dismissively.

"I dunno. I figured I'd ask tonight. Let's go!" Jirou nodded and followed him away from the shore. It wasn't going to be long before the two would be swarmed with the other denizens of the city.

Momo quickly began following them along the shore.

"We have to go!" she shouted over her shoulder. Todoroki scoffed.

"Are you serious?" Dead serious, by the determined look on her face.

"Yes! I want to be around her more!" Had she forgotten the other reason why they even came to the surface?

"I want to find my mate too, Yaoyorozu."

"Maybe we'll see him at the tavern. Taverns are often busy." She said it so dismissively that Todoroki had the urge to smack her into the water. It was like she didn't care about him finding his mate and that pissed him off to no end. But maybe there was a chance. If he couldn't find his mate there, he was going to ban Momo from seeing hers until they met.

The two swam along the shore to get closer to the city, but keeping an eye on the humans while trying to follow them outside of the city was difficult. What was worse was almost getting caught by a couple fishermen returning from the day out. The humans both went deep into the city and were completely land-locked. The mers were left hanging at an empty dock. Momo splashed in frustration, gripping her hair. Her mate was off with someone else and she was so close to reaching her. She could feel how pissed off the prince was. He was seeing the whole thing as a waste of time and he would order her to help find his mate if this excursion was a bust.

"Momo-chan? Todoroki-ouji?" The two froze, completely forgetting to get back underwater. But the person on the empty dock who saw them was none other than Asui Tsuyu. She was wearing her typical dress for work, coming out of the tavern she worked at for some fresh air.

"Asui-san!" The froggy barmaid didn't blink.

"Call me Tsuyu-chan. What are you two doing on the surface?" She was their chance at getting onto land. Momo took that advantage quickly.

"We can explain later, but we need to get to the tavern! It's completely out of bounds for us!" A small ribbit escaped Tsuyu, who looked back to the ever-so-busy tavern.

"Well, I'm headed there too, but why do you two need to be there?" Tsuyu was popular with mers because she brought them drinks to the shore. No one had ever asked to be there and there wasn't a reason why any of the mers would.

"Tsuyu-chan, _please_. I promise I'll explain!" Momo was getting desperate from being so close to her mate. But not like Tsuyu knew. Well, as long as they weren't harming anyone or disturbing the peace, it should be okay.

"…okay." Satisfied with her answer, Momo swam closer to the shore so she could efficiently use her quirk.

"I'm going to make two crates with wheels. You could just wheel us up to the tavern outside a window so we can peek in." A bright light formed on her back as she turned to the surface, bending over so the crates would have room to take shape. The thin shirt she wore tore when the crates rose up from her back and landed beside Asui. Momo quickly covered herself with a cloak from the bag she brought and waited for Todoroki to swim closer. He formed an ice pillar beneath them, the two rising out of the water and into the crates. Tsuyu shut the lids over them and started pushing them away from the ocean and closer to the city. However, managing two boxes with the weight was difficult. Tsuyu was a frog and they weren't known for strength.

"You two are quite heavy. Humans weigh less because they don't have tails like merfolk." Momo sighed, finding it difficult to adjust inside her box. She only thought about getting them out of the water that she didn't think about maneuverability inside.

"I realize that. I'm squished." Todoroki growled from his. He was bigger and more muscular than her, so imagine how squished he was.

"Yaoyorozu…" She popped her head out a bit to bow her head.

"My apologies! I promise this will come to fruition!" He shook his head in disgust.

"We can't get anywhere to make it come to anything." Tsuyu quickly shushed them and pushed their lids down so that they wouldn't catch unwanted attention.

"Need some help there, Tsuyu?" The mers froze, not making a sound as someone approached. Tsuyu remained calm and glanced at the new arrival.

"Selkie-senchou, it's good to see you."

Selkie was a spotted seal sea captain who served as one of King All Might's many eyes and ears in the ocean. He patrolled the ocean with his crew and stopped any dubious activity from reaching the land. He would go to Kingdom Endeavor when needed to deliver messages from his king to theirs. Selkie grinned and bunched up his hands to his face.

"Likewise! Those crates look pretty heavy. Need help moving them somewhere?" he asked in a higher pitch. In their crates, the mers shuddered. What was he even doing? Asui smiled and her cheeks were rosy.

"The tavern. Inventory things." Selkie chuckled.

"Ah, makes sense! The owner's always wanting to try new drinks and mixes. Can you believe that he keeps ordering things all over the regions these days? Every boat we got this past month has at least three crates for him!" Shouto huffed impatiently. It was already bad enough that he was doing this with Momo instead of looking for his precious mate, now he had to listen to prattle?

 _'No one cares. Either leave or move us,'_ he wanted oh so badly to say. Luckily Asui sensed his impatience and decided to end the conversation.

"He keeps our economy going! I just need to take these next to the tavern outside. We're gonna sort it out later." Selkie gave a quick salute.

"Sure!" He strode over to Todoroki's crate and gave it a firm push. The crate slid with ease and Todoroki begrudgingly thanked him in his head. He talked a lot, but he was helping.

After a half minute, Selkie laughed over his shoulder to Tsuyu.

"Good thing I caught you, Tsuyu. These crates are mighty heavy. Like a-" He broke off, the box slowly sliding to a halt. Todoroki tensed. Had he found out? How would he react to seeing mers? He was a ship captain and knew of the dangers and nature of his species. No doubt he would do his best to toss them back into the ocean. King All Might would then increase the security around his kingdom and that would be Todoroki's failure.

Tsuyu glanced up at him. Momo was silently taking out a sleep potion from the pocket of her cardigan if the faint sound of glass clinking together was any indication of that. Tsuyu wanted to avoid a confrontation and she'd be one lying to Selkie if he was going to question her. Which he would.

"A what?" she asked, keeping her voice leveled despite how suspicious his face was. After a few tense seconds, he suddenly started pushing the crate again until they reached the tavern. He set it as close to the wall of the tavern as he could and grinned at her.

"Bah, nothing. Is here good?" Tsuyu nodded.

"Hai! Thank you so much for your help, senchou." He gave her a little salute and started walking off, calling over his shoulder.

"Any time! You'll see my crew here later tonight." After watching him leave and making sure no one was paying them any mind, Tsuyu turned back to the crates as the mers popped up a little to check their surroundings. They were right next to some windows that were a tiny bit foggy, but it helped them look less suspicious.

"I got you two the perfect view inside the tavern. Any closer and you two might accidentally draw attention to yourselves." Neither could complain. Momo nodded to her.

"That's true. Thank you, Tsuyu-chan." Tsuyu was glowing from being called that by her friend.

"Sure. I'll come by a little later to check on you two. Will you two be okay by yourselves?" Todoroki was already looking into the tavern, nodding once at her before she could leave.

"Yes." He couldn't explain it, but something stirred in his gut. Anticipation? Desire? He couldn't understand his own feelings sometimes.

They waited a while in silence, watching as people were bustling in and out of the tavern. Tsuyu was appearing and disappearing out of view while serving the patrons with giant mugs of beer and other drinks. She came out once to give them some fresh fish she swiped from the kitchen, which Momo needed to recover from using her quirk. After several more minutes, Shouto heard Momo squeal when she saw her mate and the blonde come in.

"There she is!" she sang. Todoroki rolled his eyes.

"Good for you." Being outside, they couldn't hear anyone speak beside obvious mutters of conversation. With the window as foggy as it was, it was hard to see. Momo quickly created two sets of small binoculars and handed him one. He really didn't see the point in using them, but whatever. He picked them out of her hands and raised them to his eyes.

The two humans spoke to one of the barmaids, who then escorted them to a large table in the corner of the tavern. That table was being given with the best service with no cup empty and a constant stream of food. There was an array young people their age who were having a bunch of conversations and laughing together. Being so young, they weren't allowed alcohol like the adults. Not like anyone minded it seemed.

But one particular person looked a little less enthusiastic than his peers. He looked a little nervous and flustered. Todoroki recognized that look immediately. His lush green hair and cute freckles were a dead giveaway.

"Yaoyorozu, he's here." At his sudden remark, Yaoyorozu blinked. "Green hair at the table your mate is at."

"He knows my mate?" Momo looked through her binoculars, also seeing Tsuyu come up to their table and sit down with them. "And Tsuyu-chan?"

"Is the human world really this small?" he muttered, watching as they all laughed together. Todoroki sighed deeply, drinking in the sight of his mate. He was here. He was right in front of him and he was going to make sure his mate saw him. He was going to make him his queen.

* * *

Midoriya and his friends went way back. Most children would learn basic self-defense and had the choice to either find work and return to their lives in the city or possibly become a knight, ranger, or any needed position in the kingdom's army. They met as a class and stayed together as friends despite going different paths. At least half of them were in the army in various divisions while others sought work in the city that supported the army.

Uraraka, one of Midoriya's best friends, decided to go into witchcraft and became the pupil of Shuzenji Chiyo, a powerful witch who doubled as the palace's personal doctor. Uraraka was still learning, but she was already able to do well in long ranged attacks and floating above the chaos with her quirk and broom to keep her steady.

Mina was a poison specialist and had an added boost with her acid quirk to keep her safe if the poison wasn't fast enough to defend her. As a civilian, she frequently attended festivals to perform dances with the theatre group. Tooru was one of the kingdom's spies, stationed close to the kingdom as counter-intelligence when delegates from other regions came for political meetings. When she wasn't needed, she would help care for children at the school and play hide-and-seek with them. Tsuyu was not only a barmaid on her time off, but she worked as a naval soldier alongside Captain Selkie and his crew. The boat would go on patrol to save stranded ships or counter suspicious fleets that wanted to dock onto their land.

Aoyama worked in long ranged tactics with the army, his naval laser his main weapon while his rapier was a backup. He much preferred his civilian job with the theatre group with Mina. Sero was a rescuer in stealth missions, using his tape to capture enemies and safe hostages. In the city, he would help out with cargo and make sure everything was secure before a journey. Kouda helped maintain the stables to keep animals happy and healthy, caring for them when they returned and making sure they received ample care. Satou was one of the city's best bakers, but when needed to protect the civilians, he would load up a wagon of sweets to take with him while he would mow down the enemy.

Kaminari was an archer and sharpshooter with his electrical quirk. He would partner up with one of his friends in case he had to overuse his quirk and need someone to watch him. Jirou was a knight as well, but she was stationed by the shoreside since she was the only one who could hear the enemy over the waves of the ocean. In peaceful times, she liked to work on music that she normally kept to herself. Shouji was a great knight and could double as a spy with Tooru. He would frequent a few hunts and help track deer with the hunters on his time away from knight duties. Ojiro helped train new recruits and was great at short range with his martial arts and strong tail. After their training, he went back to the academy to teach new generations about self-defense. Mineta had some use as a trapper, but he was a bit cowardly and couldn't be on the offense so he was usually laying defensive traps along the land when enemies were rumored to come. With days off, he was forced to work as a housekeeper for Mt. Lady, a great hero who was part of the elite protecting the king.

Luckily, the land kingdom was often in peace. It was best to stay defensive while enjoying their days relaxing and living as civilians and soldiers of their kingdom. When needed, their class never showed signs of rustiness.

After a couple rounds of root beer, everyone squeezed in to talk more quietly.

"So, what's going on in the castle that's got you four stuck to Midoriya like leeches?" Jirou asked, watching as Midoriya blushed pink. Kirishima sighed, frowning as he remembered the details.

"A mer, believe it or not." The shock and horror on their faces reminded him of how the knights reacted. Tsuyu was shocked as well, but couldn't help but feel suspicious.

"W-what? A mer?" squeaked Tooru. Mina scoffed in disgust.

"You guys let a mer see Midoriya?" she asked accusingly. Bakugou banged his fist on the table and glared heatedly at her.

"NOT US, PINK BITCH. SHIT-KETSU." He quickly had to be shushed by Kirishima and Kaminari. Midoriya spoke up quietly.

"It was an accident. I'm to blame." His guilty face prompted the others to hold their criticism. Never would they blame a victim of an obsessed mer.

"Well, what's important now is to protect you," declared Ochako to the agreement of her friends. "We don't have to leave it to just these four. We were trained too."

Mineta looked like he wanted to cry. "Mermaids are hot, but if they don't like you, they'll rip your throat out!"

"Mineta tried to find a mermaid who would obsess over him like he does to most of the female species," Tsuyu explained somberly. "It didn't work and Selkie-senchou had to save him and apologize to the mermaid."

"But they're also dangerous," Tenya pointed out over the laughs of their friends. "Merfolk have quirks besides being residents of the ocean. Look at the Endeavor Kingdom. Their clan is teeming with fire quirks since they can rapidly produce oxygen from the ocean and burn their flames underwater. One of their best soldiers shoots feather blades from his tail and he is going to marry their princess. Their children will be something else."

"Apparently they have ice quirks going on down there too. Midoriya was saved by that mer who used snow to cushion him," added Kirishima. Izuku blushed deeper, remembering the kind merman who saved him. He was so handsome and strong. He felt safe near him and wanted to see if he was at least okay. Yoarashi wasn't kind with his wind quirk. A small sliver of hope arose as he wondered if the merman thought of him as often as he did.

Everyone was going into their plans to help Midoriya or counter the merman. So far, keeping Midoriya in a high tower, putting a restraining order in a bottle and throwing it in the ocean, net traps and throwing bombs into the ocean were ideas scrapped from the table. Bakugou looked up at Uraraka, who was deep in thought.

"Oi, witch bitch." She looked up, unfazed by his insult.

"Huh?"

"Can't you make something that can kill a mer if it tries to touch the nerd?" She rolled her eyes. What did he think she did, cast curses? Curse magic and her type of sorcery were different.

"Magic doesn't work that way. I can make a potion that can deflect a mer away from Deku-kun, but that requires something from the mer who did it. In the meantime, we can try a spell that can protect him from harm." Protecting Midoriya sounded more appealing to her than trying to fight a mer. Iida rubbed his chin.

"That spell would be more useful to us, Uraraka-kun. The mer is infatuated with the prince and with us in the way, he'll stop at nothing to make him his." She deflated. Mers were willing to hurt anyone but their mates. She'd more likely to be attacked by a mer than Deku.

"Oh yeah, that. Well, I also learned a spell that could stop you from entering the ocean if the mer tries to pull you down." It was a useful spell popular with people who didn't know how to swim and had to cross the ocean by boat for travel. Everyone seemed interested.

"Yeah?" Kirishima asked excitedly. She sighed as she remembered the arduous work that came with it.

"But it takes two days." A simultaneous groan echoed around the table. Bakugou growled.

"Don't bring shit up if it's not helpful, round face!" She stomped her foot childishly.

"I'm trying!" He waved her away dismissively.

"Anyway, that's why the best plan is to say 'fuck the water' so you don't get your dumb ass kidnapped before your foot touches the ocean. That or we string you up on the shore, lure the mershit over and kick his fucking ass!" His eyes gleamed in excitement. That was one hell of a plan that could kill two birds with one stone. Iida chopped the air harshly.

"Bakugou-kun! You can't use the prince as bait!" he shouted, his voice trembling with rage. Bakugou turned his glare to him.

"My ideas are getting us better results than these extras!" They went to arguing while everyone else was debating other plans amongst each other. During the entire exchange, Tsuyu had her thoughts in other places. A mer with an ice quirk was a rarity. Elemental quirks underwater were a bitch to maintain so mers had to use them on the surface to get the full gamut of their quirk. Ice was nice to have, but merfolk had a risk of freezing the ice around themselves. From what she had heard underwater, one clan had a successful lineage of ice quirks and the beauty of the clan married the king.

"Midoriya-chan, what did this mer look like?" she asked, catching him stare off into space. He jumped a little in his seat when he realized she was talking to him.

"O-oh, well..." The blush was back in full force. "White and red hair, grey and blue eyes, pretty buff and a massive silver and red tail."

He could never forget how he looked that night. Midoriya was always considered plain looking. It felt nice that someone as handsome as the mer looked at him so lovingly like he was all that mattered.

"..." Tsuyu fell silent. There was no one who could fit that description besides Todoroki. Izuku blinked at the lack of response and reached over to shake her a bit.

"Are you alright, Asui-san?" he asked in worry. She quickly perked up and kept her suspicions bottled up.

"Call me Tsuyu-chan. I'm fine. I'm just thinking about if I see a mer like that when I take a swim in the ocean." Tooru overheard them and turned to her friend.

"You should be careful, Tsuyu-chan. Merfolk territory can be dangerous. What is a mer decides that they want you?" Tsuyu smiled over at her with ease. Everyone else was looking too, remembering that Tsuyu went into the ocean at least once a week to swim.

"That would be a problem, but I'm always careful. I try not to stand out too much." Iida nodded firmly.

"That should go for the rest of us too. With Midoriya-ouji under protection, that means we all must be vigilant as well. Midoriya-ouji can't be anywhere without an escort and we have to protect him if we're around. We're still trying to figure out who this merman is exactly." Asui knew who it was, but she heavily debated with herself if she should say anything. If she said she knew who it was, they would immediately challenge Todoroki to a duel and possibly lose. Merfolk became abundantly strong if they were fighting for their mates. The rumors of Hawks cruelty towards a suitor for Fuyumi had reached her. The worst part was knowing how nice and easy-going he normally was. She didn't want to imagine how far Todoroki would go.

Tsuyu excused herself to go outside, leaving everyone else to think of other plans to help Midoriya while trying to keep Midoriya placated.

She headed back to the mers, filled with questions and having suspicions on why the prince himself would be willing to put himself in a box to be on land.

* * *

When she reached them, Momo and Todoroki popped out with determined looks on their faces. But she wanted to ask questions before they asked for favors.

"Todoroki-ouji, is Midoriya-chan your mate?" she inquired, watching his expression closely. Todoroki's eyes stayed concentrated on hers, his skin tingling slightly as his nerves were readying to lash out. He couldn't even properly contemplate his mate's name.

"...Asui, I'm warning you as a friend. If you get in my way, I will make sure no further harm comes to you besides you being knocked unconscious." She knew better than to try and fight two mers on her own. They were her friends, but this was a situation where she'd have to choose who to stand with.

"I'm conflicted. You are both my friends." Momo quickly laid a hand on her shoulder, smiling encouragingly.

"You can introduce the two! Then they can see if they want to continue the courtship." Both Tsuyu and Shouto looked at her incredulously.

"Of course he will. You're both mers. When have mers ever taken back a courtship without being beaten within an inch of their life?" The answer was never. Shouto glanced at their froggy friend.

"Why are you so against this? Or rather, why are you being hesitant?" His aura was hostile. Tsuyu didn't expect anything else given merfolk behavior towards animosity from others.

"Midoriya Izuku-chan is the prince." Momo frowned, suddenly seeing her point. Todoroki, however, was excited. His mate had more in common with him than he thought. Midoriya Izuku, soon to be Todoroki Izuku. "He has his duties here as future King of Yuuei. It will cause an uproar if he's to relinquish his rightful place as prince."

He crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. "He's my mate."

"He's also the prince," Tsuyu countered as gently as she could. "Please understand why this is so difficult. King All Might has put his faith into Midoriya-chan and the people love him. You can't take their future away from them."

"They can't deprive me of my future either," he asserted, eyes sharpening. "I want to see him at least once. I can't promise that I won't steal him away. At least eventually."

"Maybe you can negotiate-" Tsuyu bit back her words when Todoroki dismissed her.

"I'm going to see him tonight. If you want me to make a scene about it, I will. You're my friend, but he is my everything." Tsuyu shifted uncomfortably. Todoroki was a good person. He had never been cruel. Cold, but not cruel.

"...promise me that you won't hurt him." Todoroki didn't hesitate to answer.

"I never will."

* * *

Everyone was in agreement that 'fuck the water' wasn't a long-lasting solution. Only Bakugou was all for that plan because he thought it up. And look what was happening so far, Midoriya's dumb ass wasn't kidnapped. Midoriya sighed into his tankard, setting it down on the table.

"Avoiding the ocean won't last for long. I love going to the beach." That was where All Might proclaimed him as the heir to the throne after countless trials and tribulations. Who knew that just six months later, he'd be dealing with an obsessed mer? Bakugou looked like he could breathe fire besides making explosions out of his palms.

"DO YOU WANNA DIE, YOU FUCKING NERD?! I'D LET YOU IF ALL MIGHT DIDN'T MAKE YOU THE HEIR!" Kaminari sighed overdramatically.

"And here I thought you were being a bro." Kirishima leapt to Bakugou's defense.

"Bakugou really cares, he's just terrible at showing it." Bakugou fired his explosions in both their directions.

"YOU'RE ALL LUCKY YUUEI HAS LAWS AGAINST MURDERING PEOPLE WHO ANNOY YOU! ALL OF YOU WOULD BE DEAD BY NOW!" Well, everyone except Kouda. And Kirishima because Bakugou loved him, not like he would admit that out loud.

"Scary scary~!" sang Tooru, whirling around in a circle out of her seat. Bakugou grabbed bread from a basket and started chucking them at her.

"QUIT ACTING DRUNK, YOU SEE-THROUGH PERV! IT'S JUST ROOT BEER, YOU LIGHTWEIGHT!" Everyone laughed and went back to enjoying their night. When Midoriya finished his drink, he inwardly debated on whether or not he should order another. Taking the chance, Tsuyu nudged him gently.

"Midoriya-chan, could you come with me to the shoreside bar? A shipment of coconuts came to the tavern, but they belong over there." He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her. It'd be nice to get some fresh air and look out into the sea. He really loved the ocean, so it would be nice to come close for now until he was banned from it.

"Sure!" He tapped Iida to let him know he'd be gone with Tsuyu. Iida looked like he wanted to come with, but Izuku was quick to shake his head. He wanted some time without his knights around.

He followed Asui out, remembering to take the crate of coconuts with them.

* * *

"Be honest, Midoriya-chan, what did you think of the mer you saw?" Asui asked casually, keeping a steady pace with the prince. He smiled a little, the frog noting his florid face.

"I won't deny that he was handsome," he murmured, then cleared his throat. "It is disturbing to be on the receiving end of a mer's love. The obsessions they have over the ones they desire aren't a story they tell to scare people. It's real."

He chuckled a little at the irony he was going through. "But a part of me likes having such a handsome mer who wants someone like me."

He gasped, eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. "Does that make me a masochist?"

Tsuyu ribbited with mirth. "I don't think so."

He physically deflated and beamed in relief.

Once they reached the bar, the owner thanked them both and bowed as low as he could to Midoriya, who quickly got him to stand back up. The owner nodded to Tsuyu.

"Asui-chan, I need a little help bringing these in. We can't expect the prince to do work if it's our job in the first place, right?" Asui agreed, nodding to Midoriya.

"Midoriya-chan, how about you wait over by the shore until I'm done? I shouldn't take more than ten minutes." Ahh, time alone. He nodded eagerly, practically dancing towards the sea. Tsuyu sighed a little, hoping Todoroki wasn't going to scare their prince.

* * *

Midoriya took a deep breath of the fresh ocean breeze. It was a nice night and Kacchan would kill him if he caught him on the sand. He'd deal with that later.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. It felt so similar to how the knights would watch him in the palace. As hundreds of possibilities ran through his head, a familiar clicking sound reached his ears. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His mind was a haze, his body moving on its own towards the ocean where the clicking sound resonated from.

When his feet reached the shore where the waves barely touched him, something emerged slowly from the water. He met the loving gaze of the mer from before.

Should he run? Shouldn't he? Yet he wasn't afraid. He felt warm and safe like how he did in the palace he and his mother now called home.

The mer slowly drifted closer to him, his voice beckoning him closer. Like an idiot, which Kacchan would call him, he followed. The ocean didn't feel cold against his skin.

The mer swam close and grabbed a hold of him, warming his body by leaning Midoriya against his left side. His long tail slowly wrapped around the human's waist. Izuku freaked out a little when he felt something wrap around him, but the mer held fast. The clicking continued, soothing the human prince into relaxing.

"W-who are you?" Midoriya asked, looking into the merman's eyes. The latter smiled like he had a treasure in his arms.

"Todoroki Shouto. I am your mate."

* * *

 **Technically they met in this chapter! Technically…**

 **Please don't kill me. Until next time!**


	4. They Fucking Met

**I'm done with the pre-entrance exam I was doing! 99th percentile party up in here! I'm taking a break before I study for the next pre-entrance exam for another nursing school. I just wanna be proud of my results and enjoy myself ;)**

 **To my reviewers:**

 **Ahikodoesstuff:** In Midoriya's case, it's like curiosity mixed with flattery. He's the type of person who would probably blush for days if he knew someone liked him. And since Todoroki doesn't hide it, it feels overwhelming.

 **Kichou:** Yep they have candy. Sexy eye candy.

 **GUEST00197:** No pressure at all! I don't like waiting long for chapters of stories I like either, so I hate to be the author who takes a while to update. I try to make up for it in long chapters. Tsuyu had some unfair cards to deal with, but which was the safer route to take? I honestly don't know without having one side mad at her.

 **memeutin1:** ( ^ / ^ )

 **AnimeWolf2000:** I'm glad you are! I want to get back to writing a chap for 'No Name' again, but it's hard to make my ideas sound right on the paper right now. Little bits and pieces will come together soon.

 **SpiritofLove961:** Thanks! It started out pretty strong, so I hope it continues to please you.

 **hana koikogoro:** I have guilty pleasure for Mer!Todoroki and Yandere!Todoroki. Thanks so much!

 **Yaoi Rosa-chan:** The wait is over!...Until the end of the chapter…

 **silentmoon45:** I'm excited that you like it! I love me some Obsessed Shouto with cute ass Midoriya!

* * *

After several uncomfortable minutes, Iida felt like something was seriously wrong. His gut told him over and over not to let Midoriya out of his sight, but he knew how much the prince needed some space from time to time. Midoriya was never unreasonable or overstepped boundaries. They should have been back at least twenty minutes ago.

His instincts took control, his body shooting up to stand. When his chair screeched back, everyone stared up at him.

"We need to go to the shoreside bar. Now!" he ordered his fellow knights. Without hesitating, Tokoyami and Kirishima got up to follow him. Bakugou finally realized Deku wasn't here.

"The nerd left?! You let him, four-eyes?!" he shouted to him. Iida had no time to argue.

"Enough! Get up!" he ordered, the tavern quieting at his words. A quick wave from the owner had everyone turning their backs to keep their privacy. But he turned to one of his staff and whispered something to them. The man quickly nodded and left the tavern.

Bakugou had gotten up when Kaminari turned to the others.

"Should we all go?" he asked, flinching when Uraraka got up with a fire in her eyes.

"No one's stopping me!" And neither were they. They all followed Iida out of the tavern, Iida, Bakugou and Uraraka the most heated.

* * *

Midoriya finally noticed the small details to the mer that he hadn't seen that night out at sea. There were patches of scales on his shoulders and down his arms in icy silver and passionate red. His muscles were well-defined and thicker than an average male their age. With these arms, he could easily carry Midoriya if he could walk on land. Midoriya was wearing clothes, but he could still feel how strong and hard his body was with a hand against his chest. Strength and handsome combined were a great weakness to Midoriya's confidence.

Midoriya stared into Shouto's eyes.

"M-mate? H-how do you know? We never met besides on the boat." Shouto exuded confidence.

"I know. It's in my nature. And now I can properly court you." Midoriya did a double take.

"C-court me?!" The mer nodded, reaching into the pouch he brought with him. Opening the bag, he grabbed the first gift he had brought his mate.

Todoroki held out his hand, a beautiful mauve pearl resting on his palm. It was so large that it looked like a stone at first. The pearl was larger than ones Midoriya had seen harvested from the coast. The color was richer and more lustrous than the ones most nobles had.

"A pearl?" he whispered, unable to take something of such value. Shouto smiled proudly.

"It's a pearl that only mers can harvest from the ocean. Not all merfolk can acquire it either. The only ones capable of reaching it have to overcome a maelstrom first." When his parents' anniversary came about months ago, Enji asked Rei what she wanted. She simply answered that he continue to love her, which Enji found ridiculous because he had no intention of stopping.

So he decided to gift her a pearl. The pearl farms near the city had minuscule gems and getting her one from there was an insult to her worth. The ones beyond the Musutafu maelstrom were undisturbed and grew bountifully. The advisors begged him not to go because of the danger, but Enji saw it as another challenge. He dragged Shouto with him to train, Dabi and Hawks accompanying them to find pearls for their mates as well. The maelstrom was one of the toughest days he ever faced, but after being tossed around like a rag doll in the ocean until finally reaching the tranquil coast where the oysters laid, he and his family got the pearls they needed. Fuck going through that maelstrom again. Shouto made an ice bridge for them over the ocean until the water stopped being turbulent.

At the time, getting a pearl was a trophy of what he accomplished. Before he left, he grabbed it with full intentions on giving it to his mate. He had more to give. This pearl was just one of many treasures he would give him.

Midoriya stared at the pearl in disbelief. If he got it after crossing a massive whirlpool, then it meant that he was impeccably strong. And he thought Midoriya was worthy of such a gift. Todoroki grinned.

"Thank you. You're worth more than this pearl." Izuku's jaw dropped. Had he said that out loud?

"I-I-I di-didn't-" The mer cut him off with a smile, nudging his open hand closer.

"Take it." It didn't seem like saying no was a good idea. Midoriya reached out and gently took it, admiring the round gem in his palm. But did that mean that he was accepting the courtship? He was still on the fence about that and it wasn't wise to send a mer mixed signals.

Todoroki was beside himself. His mate took the pearl and he thought himself unworthy of a stone. He would be more than happy to adorn him in the jewels of the sea below and make him a queen. With Midoriya being the prince of the land, it would be difficult to convince him to come to his kingdom without him feeling like he was abandoning his own. He understood, he truly did, but he was desperate to take him as his mate. They could be happy for the rest of their lives. He felt empty just thinking about leaving Izuku here rather than take him to his castle. His tail curled just a touch tighter around Midoriya's body, sighing at the comfortable warmth his mate gave out.

"Do you want to come with me to see my world below?" he offered, hoping to entice the curiosity of his future bride.

The doubt surfaced, the human gently pressing his teeth to his thumb. He was naturally curious about the world and thirsted to learn more about the unknown. All Might often joked that Midoriya would sleep in the library if he was allowed. He wasn't allowed to venture too far from the kingdom since his crowning as prince and he lived quietly with his mother before that. Now he was getting an offer to explore the depths of the sea with a seductive merman.

This was the time he was supposed to say no.

"I-I'm the prince of Yuuei," he squeaked, hoping that would deter him. Shouto smiled patiently.

"And I'm the prince of Endeavor. It only seems right that a prince escorts another in their home territory. It would be my pleasure to show you my kingdom."

 _'Soon to be yours too,'_ he wanted to add. Izuku's jaw dropped. He was also a prince? King Endeavor had three boys and a girl. Who would've thought that out of all mers he could attract, he attracted the Crown Prince?

Before Midoriya could reply, a familiar shout broke him away from the mer. On instinct, Shouto hissed sharply when his mate's attention diverged from him. Out of the corner of his eye, the crowd he was with was rushing to the shore. Front and center was Bakugou, using his quirk to blast himself forward ahead of everyone.

"Fucking Deku!" His yelling frightened Midoriya, who suddenly remembered the blonde's proposition. He was gonna murder him for not obeying.

"Kacchan!" he shouted. He winced when the tail around him tensed. Midoriya's heart dropped to his stomach, suddenly too scared to look up at the merman.

Good thing. Todoroki was none too pleased to hear the little nickname that came out of his mate's mouth. There was no way in hell an intense psycho like that would be named 'Kacchan.' He hissed when Bakugou came closer, throwing himself and Izuku back so he could swim away from him. Midoriya was kept above water, riding on top of Todoroki while he swam a dozen feet away. Sero shouted for Bakugou and shot tape out to grab him from going too far into the water and be at a disadvantage against a mer.

As Bakugou was being reeled back like he was a fish, he shouted at the top of his lungs to make sure Deku heard him.

"I said 'fuck the water,' Deku! NOT GET FUCKED BY WHAT'S INSIDE!" Behind him, the others were desperately trying to figure out how to reach the prince. The mer was inching further away and and attempts to swim would make them vulnerable. Satou beamed like he had the best plan ever.

"Mineta!" The grape haired boy didn't have time to think before he was suddenly snatched up by the brawny teen. He was grinning from ear-to-ear while holding him over his head.

"Use your sticky balls to keep outta the water!" A constant scream was echoed as he was thrown out to sea. In a panic, he threw as many balls as he could toward the water, but none towards the area he would land in. He fell into the water in an instant.

"HELP!" he screamed, his legs feeling like lead and fearing the merman who could kill him just by pulling him a couple inches under water. Sero had to save him with his tape.

"Tokoyami, use Dark Shadow!" Shouji suggested, finding his quirk useless in their situation. The raven shook his head.

"I can't. He can get out of control in this darkness and hurt Midoriya-ouji in the process. If the mer goes underwater, there won't be much light and Dark Shadow will run amok." They cursed and Kirishima quickly turned to Kouda.

"Kouda! Call a dolphin to save Midoriya!" The larger teen became frantic when everyone looked up at him hopefully.

"I-I did! But-" he pointed towards the mer, "it's not doing anything."

Todoroki was a little surprised when a dolphin swam up to him and Midoriya, the land prince shocked at seeing a dolphin so close up. Todoroki held up a hand to stop it, which it followed obediently. Mers naturally had a kinship with many marine animals.

"You can reach out to pet it," he murmured encouragingly in Midoriya's ear. Feeling the warm breath on his skin had him tingling in pleasure. The dolphin happily swum to the princes and cuddled under Midoriya's outstretched hand. Despite the tense situation, he smiled and giggled a little.

Bakugou wanted to rip his scalp out. "THIS ISN'T A FUCKING PETTING ZOO!"

He turned to Tokoyami and Uraraka. "Use Dark Shadow! Witch bitch, can you use fire spells?!"

She nodded fiercely and clutched her staff tightly.

"Tokoyami-kun! I'll use a fire spell for light if Dark Shadow goes too far!" Without hesitation now that he had backup, Tokoyami shot Dark Shadow out towards the mer, aiming to separate him from the prince. Dark Shadow was larger and more sinister than Midoriya had ever seen him. Todoroki clutched Midoriya to his chest, eyeing the assailing shadow as it neared. Ice might not be a strong enough shield. His left hand raised out of the water, basking in the free oxygen in the air before flames speared out and struck Dark Shadow. His form quickly reverted back until he was quivering, retreating back into Tokoyami so fast that it knocked him off his feet. His eyes went wide as he sat up hurriedly in the sand.

"Those flames! It's the Todoroki!" Around him, everyone froze. One wrong move and they could accidentally send their kingdoms to war.

After several breaths, Midoriya was suddenly fished out of the water and away from Todoroki, who hissed at the loss of his mate. Before he could charge back towards the shore for him, he was suddenly pushed back by a massive echo of someone's voice enhanced by a quirk. The group was surrounded by older soldiers they quickly recognized as the king's elite force. Aizawa, their former trainer, was at the front and using his quirk to cancel out Todoroki's. Yamada Hizashi was currently keeping him at bay and stopped once Midoriya was out of the water thanks to Hakamata Tsunagu. The prince landed softly on the sand and was hastily surrounded by his friends screaming his name.

A blue flame erupted out of the water to jolt Yamada out of focus, succeeding and forcing the blonde to scramble back from the scalding heat. Todoroki saw Touya rise out of the water close by, jerking his head for Shouto to follow him towards the shore.

Aizawa relinquished his quirk. They wouldn't try anything stupid with his group protecting the prince. He nodded in acknowledgement.

"Your Highnesses of Endeavor." Anyone higher up in the kingdom was known by the Todoroki and vice versa.

"Aizawa," Dabi greeted, tapping Shouto's tail underwater to bow his head in greeting. Aizawa sighed and glanced at his students.

"What's going on with you all? Our relations with the kingdom have been well." Dabi smirked and clapped a hand on Shouto's shoulder, much to the younger's displeasure.

"My kid brother here is mates with your beloved prince." The elite kept still, forcing themselves not to react in any way to offend the mers. But they all felt the same way. Their prince could be in trouble.

"..." Aizawa kept his stoic expression, narrowing his eyes just a bit that Dabi noticed.

"Are we at odds?" the older prince asked airily, keeping his blue eyes sharp against the human's. Aizawa simply shrugged.

"We'll leave that decision to our king. Have a safe trip back." He was giving them the chance to retreat and tell King Enji. They couldn't take the boys into questioning without sparking a reaction from the hotheaded king. Dabi nodded and turned towards the sea, but was quickly grabbed by Shouto.

"Touya-nii-!" he started to snap, but his brother clenched his shoulder, nodding to him.

"I know, Shouto. But we're outnumbered here. We gotta go back." The idea of leaving his mate brought a heartbroken mien to the younger prince.

"But my mate..." It sounded too similar to a whine, but Dabi couldn't tease him about it without having Shouto bite at him.

"We'll get him eventually. I prefer now, but we can't mess with the king's elite." He grabbed onto Shouto and dove into the water, the last sight the prince had of his mate being the confused, innocent stare on his face.

They were quickly joined by Natsuo and Momo, who looked dismayed at being unable to make contact with her mate. Natsuo had grabbed her a while back when he and Dabi came to the surface to check on them. Hearing from the humans that the elite was needed by the shoreside, they acted quickly to intervene and pull them out. Momo had been in the middle of making a glass bottle to toss into the sand for her mate to find, but wasn't able to get the bottle to where her mate usually stood once Natsuo found her and forced her to come with him.

Dabi said nothing and gestured for them to return to the castle. Enji was going to have a rude awakening.

* * *

"This is why I said 'fuck the water!' That mer could've dragged you to the ocean and you would've died down there!" shouted Bakugou as the group was being led back to the castle with the elite force.

The force consisted of many top soldiers deemed to be heroes of the kingdom, banding together under the king to serve as his and the civilians' protectors. The group had hundreds spread close by to the castle. It was Aizawa, Yamada, Hakamata and Ishiyama that were on patrol when a worker from the tavern ran up to them with a rumor that something was going to happen by the shoreside that involved the prince.

Hakamata, named Best Jeanist, scoffed.

"What sort of plan is that, Bakugou-kun?" he questioned firmly.

"A better plan than what he ended up doing!" Bakugou shot back. Midoriya hung his head, embarrassed by earlier. But he didn't regret speaking to the mer. The pearl he gave him was still tightly grasped in his hand. He had managed to keep it with him despite the commotion. It was a treasure he intended to keep to remind him of the handsome mer prince who looked at him lovingly. Aizawa glanced over at him, sighing tiredly.

"Luckily Midoriya didn't seem to be in any danger. Merfolk are crazy and obsessive, but not stupid. Not once did he try to dive underwater with him because he knew Midoriya couldn't breathe. We should be lucky that he didn't think to kiss and kidnap him. A mer's kiss grants humans the ability to breathe underwater." Midoriya blushed brightly as he imagined the mer kissing him, hiding his face in his hands. Aizawa caught his blush, narrowing his eyes at his former student.

"Look, Midoriya. You're the prince now. You gotta think about the kingdom first. We need you on land, not down the ocean with the prince who you think is cute. It's dangerous to be mated to a mer. We can't even be around you to protect you like this because mers see it as obstructions. He won't ever hurt you, that's true and that's probably why you'd have a crush on him. Their behavior isn't compatible with humans." Midoriya visibly deflated. Everything Aizawa said was true. Todoroki would probably give him the world, but he would gladly take him from the human one if it meant being together.

Yet his heart was burning at the thought of not being with him. Merfolk mate for life and were emotionally connected to their partners. He didn't think it could affect the rare human partners that they had.

Tsuyu had joined them just moments ago, lagging close behind Aizawa as she listened to what had happened. She guiltily watched as everyone was excitedly chattering about the strong mers they faced. Before they reached the king, she had to tell Aizawa about what she had done. It could be spun as treason.

As they approached the castle, Aizawa waved over a guard to run ahead and alert the king for an emergency meeting to discuss what had gone down tonight.

In minutes, the elite, Midoriya and his knights were brought into the throne room while the rest of Midoriya's friends were escorted to a sitting room to talk amongst each other and worry.

All Might's face didn't have his usual smile. This time he was deep in thought when he heard everything from Iida and Aizawa.

"So the princes of Endeavor surfaced. Todoroki-shounen said he was Midoriya-shounen's mate. I have met the young prince before when I met Endeavor for an impromptu meeting on the water. A good boy with plenty of potential as the next king. He seems indifferent, but has good intentions. To think he has fallen for our own prince is a little unsettling. He is a mer to the core and with King Enji being a prideful and traditional mer, he would want our prince to become the mate of theirs. Mers don't like rejection. This has become quite complicated." The king sighed. Had it been a common mer, it would've been easy to overwhelm the creature into backing down. Now knowing he was of royal blood, it could spark a potential battle.

His trusted advisor, Nighteye, was immediately apprehensive.

"Midoriya-ouji has been entrusted with the power of One for All as you have, King All Might. His duty as prince is to ensure that the fires of humanity continue to burn bright. We can't allow King Enji and his son to take him. We need to have a summit and negotiate. And we should probably replace the prince's current protection to the three knights who are about to advance to elites." He was talking about Mirio, Tamaki and Nejiro. The three upperclassmen were the brightest students of the academy currently training to become part of the king's elite force. They were really nice and Mirio was a huge supporter of Midoriya's future as king, promising to protect him even before his coronation.

Iida and his friends took offense.

"Nighteye-san! With all due respect, we are certainly capable of protecting the prince! Today was a mistake that will not be repeated!" Iida promised with Kirishima and Tokoyami agreeing behind him. Bakugou was practically on fire.

"I'M NOT ABOUT TO BE REPLACED! FUCKING DEKU JUST NEEDS TO BE BETTER AT LISTENING!" Midoriya sheepishly bowed his head. Nighteye rolled his eyes.

"Nonetheless, we need to amp up security and prepare. Our relations with the sea kingdom have been respectful because of admiration for the king. Midoriya-ouji should not be expended. He needs to stand his ground here as prince and stay." As he spoke, All Might noticed how his eyes kept shifting to Midoriya with a slight hint of worry. He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. All Might nodded.

"We will take better measures to protect Midoriya-shounen. Prepare a statement for Selkie-kun to deliver to Endeavor. Iida-shounen, you and your knights are still primary protection and I will not allow you to fail again. Take better measures and consult with any of the elite to bolster defenses. You're all dismissed, except for the elites who saved the prince. You as well, Nighteye-kun." As everyone filed out of the throne room, Aizawa approached the king.

"Asui Tsuyu admitted to me that she may have had a hand in getting the princes to meet. I don't think she anticipated a fight to break out, but she had some idealistic thoughts. Any thoughts?" All Might sighed. She was a favorite of Aizawa's, but the teacher was always fair in punishments.

"Reprimand her appropriately. She will not be allowed to work with Selkie-kun's crew for the next three weeks. She doesn't have an evilness to her spirit, but she should've known better." Aizawa nodded, making a note to do so after All Might was finished speaking to them. Asui was a good kid, but she knew mers and the dangers since she swam in their waters often. Maybe she had some more info to help them know more about the water-dwelling neighbors below.

All Might glanced over at Nighteye, who seemed a little troubled. Knowing the younger man, he figured the meaning.

"What did you foresee?" At once, the other elites exchanged looks with one another, remaining quiet to gauge Nighteye's response. The bespectacled advisor frowned deeply.

"It was difficult to see myself with the murkiness. I saw the two princes, but I couldn't tell if both were humans or mers. For the sake of our kingdom, I hope they were humans."

* * *

The guards immediately alerted their king of the princes' return. The brothers and Momo knelt down before the king and waited to be spoken to. Endeavor massaged his temple.

"I'm assuming you ran into some trouble after finding your mate?" Enji had very little patience so late at night. Because Enji wasn't in bed, Rei woke up too and was by his side. Shouto frowned.

"A bit. I also found out that he's the heir to the throne of Yuuei." Enji's brows rose, but slowly settled as he growled.

"All Might's protégé? Of course you fall for someone in a complicated position. Now I have to speak to that smiling bastard. Touya, when do you expect Yuuei to send their men down and deliver a negotiation message?" Dabi chuckled.

"His elite were countering us. Chances are, it'll be soon." Endeavor groaned, his flames wavering just a bit before they flared up again. He turned to one of the guards on standby.

"You. Get the palace sea witches. I want a dozen potions that will turn us human and another dozen to change us back. Probably more. Before you come back, I want several of them now." The soldier saluted.

"Hai!" He headed off to the witches' sleeping quarters. Rei smiled gently.

"Am I going to the surface as well? I would like to meet this little prince. And I do like going to the surface." Enji wanted to say no at first. Rei was going to attract so much attention with her beauty that it might tempt him to char gawkers where they stood. But whatever Rei wanted, she often got and she rarely asked for much. Most her gifts from Enji were what he deemed worthy for her. He reluctantly nodded and winced when she smiled brightly and swam back to their bedroom to sleep.

Enji turned to Momo. "I'm assuming you want to come as well, but you know that asking another sea witch for a potion targets your pride. If you become human, you stay a human until you can make a potion on land. Either stay in the ocean to make your own, make one as a human or look weak to your fellow witches."

She bit her bottom lip, bowing her head. She didn't want to have such a reputation with her growth. However, imagining herself on that very shore with her mate by her side was so tempting. She had to speak to her mother about it. She bowed her head and swam to her home where her parents were waiting to hear about her adventure.

The guard came back with several potions in hand, kneeling and holding them out to the king. Endeavor turned to his boys.

"Get used to legs. We're not going on land and stumbling like baby deer in front of All Might. I won't allow it. Learn now or don't come to land. Even you, Shouto. If you don't learn how to walk as well as a human and fight with your quirk, you can't see your human. Don't you think he'll be embarrassed being next to a mate who becomes crippled after leaving the water?"

"…" That was meant as a warning against his pride. Shouto glared heatedly at his father and said nothing. His father smirked.

"Think of it as motivation. Now go." He grabbed the potions and pushed them towards his sons.

* * *

Hawks and the Todoroki brothers swam to the surface the next morning towards a small island that was property of the Todoroki clan. Because they negotiated with humans for decades, kings and their bodyguards would train to walk on land before they reached the humans. It was an insult to be vulnerable and show weakness when even human children were running around without difficulty.

Shouto drank the potion Hawks gave him, making a face at the taste before his tail suddenly ceased to obey him. His tail flopped on the wet sand, losing its vibrant colors and fading into Todoroki's skin tone. A crease ran between his legs and the scales dried and flaked off in the sun to reveal muscular legs. He was as naked as the humans he read in the books from their school. It felt exposing now that his scales and tail were gone and replaced with smooth skin and legs. He lifted one leg slowly, noting the heaviness of gravity. Grunting, he forced himself to try and stand, only to buckle and hit the ground like a baby calf.

Dabi was already standing, having practiced before when Endeavor made him come along for a trip to the surface months ago. He was wearing a long coat he brought with the clothes they would wear once they became human. He smirked at his brother.

"Welcome to the human world. You're gonna learn today. Start crawling until you can walk. Then we can try running once you get those two mastered. We've got all day." He burst out laughing when Natsuo face planted into the sand. Gritting his teeth, Shouto forced himself to get up again. He needed to master this soon so he could stand by his mate proudly. On land, in water, it didn't matter. He was going to have his mate by his side. Now to get his fucking legs to work.

* * *

Selkie arrived to the sea kingdom the next afternoon with the summons for Endeavor. The king took the summons without a word and scanned it. All Might asked for a summit in five days. That was expected. Too soon would be rude as a host. It gave Shouto plenty of time to practice. As impatient as Endeavor could be, he found the time needed and nodded to Selkie in agreement. In five days, his family would surface proudly as if they maneuvered on land just as well as the water.

* * *

On the day of the summit, King Enji surfaced with his wife, children and several of his soldiers to land. Momo joined them with her own potion in hand. Just the one that can turn her human. The nearest beach had to be cleared with the king and his elite waiting on the shore.

The mers all broke out of the water into the sunlight. With the lower half of their bodies still submerged, they drank their potions and waited for their tails to shed into legs. Acting quickly, they swam towards the shore with Enji forming a massive fire wall to block the human's view of them. He barked at his people to change quickly into the clothes they brought or risk looking foolish in front of hundreds. He also made time to threaten anyone who dared to peek over at Rei's body as she changed into an elegant blue dress. Shouto's clothes were on quickly and dried by his father's heat before the flames went away. King All Might didn't even break a sweat while some of his soldiers seemed uneasy by the sudden onslaught of heat.

"Welcome to Musutafu City again, King Enji." He nodded to the Sea King, who regarded him coolly.

"King All Might." _'He managed to keep the disdain to a minimum,'_ Aizawa noted sarcastically. All Might took Rei's hand and kissed it lightly. He saw that she was wearing an ice blue pearl necklace that was looped with platinum.

"Queen Rei, for a moment, I thought you were a sea goddess. Your pearl is beautiful, but pales in comparison to your beauty." She smiled politely and nodded to him. It was always nice to see the Hero King. Endeavor puffed out his chest in pride.

"I retrieved it personally from the coast passed the Musutafu Maelstrom. A dangerous feat to accomplish." All Might nodded.

"Of course, I know of it." He reached into his collar and lifted out a white titanium necklace with a large golden pearl shining in the sunlight. "I got my own during a swim there."

Endeavor deflated, growling lowly.

"He insulted me…" he grumbled for Dabi to hear. His eldest snickered.

"I don't think so, old man. His smile's too nice." All Might and his brilliant smile shifted to Shouto, who was tugging at the collar of the fancy shirt he was wearing.

"Todoroki-shounen. What a surprise to see you with human legs." He said it with enough fondness that Shouto couldn't be too dismissive. He made a face.

"It's still strange to me. I learned that gravity apparently hates standing." All Might laughed, standing proudly.

"I'm glad you've noticed. Come, let us talk in the castle. We have much to discuss." He motioned for the mers to follow him and his men to the palace. Shouto couldn't help but look up wistfully at the Hero King.

"And will the prince be there?" His look was full of hope and love. Mer behavior when thinking about mates. For a moment, All Might was happy that his protégé was wanted deeply.

"He will be."

* * *

End of this chapter! The next one will be a ton of fun. I haven't done next chapter previews in a while…

Next chapter preview:

 _"Courtship is important, is it not? Since you have such an issue with your prince being vulnerable in the sea, then Shouto will court him on land. I propose that he stay here and court Midoriya-ouji in both human and mer ways."_

 _…_

 _"THAT FUCKING FISH JUST MOCKED ME! BRING IT ON, FUCKING FISH STICKS!"_

 _…_

 _"Want to join me for a swim? You can hold onto me if we get too deep."_


	5. The Fucking Courtship Begins

_I'm back with a really long chapter as a sorry-I've-been-gone-for-so-long present! I have been convinced to do at least one more chapter for Lose Control, so I hope to have something for it soon! But not that soon…I'll do my best._

 **As you may have seen, each chapter is named from the POV of Bakugou. Just wanted to make that clear.**

 _To my reviewers:_

 ** _Kichou_** _: I hope to update Lose Control! Someone gave me a great idea for it, now time to type what's in my brain, but that's really hard for me right now lol._

 _: Thank you! I really wanted a different approach to Endeavor without the typical dickbag that he normally is._

 ** _WolfessLizi_** _: We're live! Thanks for waiting!_

 ** _Z Girl Warrior:_** _Thank you, so sorry it took a month!_

 ** _dancibayo_** _: still winging it! Hmm…we shall see what happens…_

 ** _Lord Wolfe_** _: For their positions as heirs to the throne, it might not be the best idea to have your heir constantly leaving because your eyes aren't on the kingdom affairs for that long. While yeah, you can have people report to you, a prince shouldn't be gone from their positions every other month. They could probably pull it off, but I think I have an idea for what they can do._

* * *

The walk towards the castle was calming, but Shouto's heart drummed in anticipation in hopes of seeing his mate again. It felt like exploring new territory as they walked through the city, the areas inaccessible to him when he had a tail. With him on land, he was able to reach out and be with his mate this way. At least until his mate was with him in the water. He had spent much of the night imagining how his mate would look as a mer and he was in love all over again.

A tail as green as his fluffy hair, putting emeralds and jades to shame. The jewel-like scales would look so vibrant under the water. If any fell in love with him as hard as Shouto had, he would burn their gills and drown them in the sea. For humans, he'd just burn them and drown them.

All Might was happily chattering about some resources they just gained access to, being ignored by Endeavor. The Sea King was busy taking notice of men ogling at Rei as she seemed to glide by. All of their looks reminded him of the fools trying for her hand before he nearly slaughtered them all as a younger merman. He took a deep breath, then let his flames ignite and shoot in different directions around his body. It sent the men gasping and diving back, all their dreamy looks replaced with shock and fear.

Rei's naturally cold aura was enough to negate the flaming heat, grabbing Enji's arm against her side.

" _Heika_ , it's not wise to use your quirk against the villagers," she spoke with a gentleness that was still firm for a queen. Enji grunted.

"If their eyes stayed to the ground as they should be, then they wouldn't have been burned." She felt like the maiden she was when she had first seen him. Possessive, strong qualities were attractive to mermaids. She eyed the bustling city around them. People stopped to bow to the king before hurrying about their business. Wagons were being pulled around full of banners and decorations. A festival was being prepped. A familiar burst of excitement ran through her as she remembered the times when she and her friends would buy potions from sea witches to become humans for the nights of the festivals. It was an exhilarating feeling to run around and dance alongside the humans for a night.

"It's nice to be in the city. I would come here often with my friends during my youth to enjoy the festivals. My favorite is always the Flower Festival." The festival was completely magical and foreign to mers. Flowers don't grow in the ocean. To be surrounded by so many sweet-smelling petals and color was almost dizzying. It was difficult for any flower to grow in the sea. Endeavor took it upon himself to bring her gemstones shaped into flowers as presents. Her favorite was the amaryllis. The red ones reminded her of the flames of her love.

Enji was silently listening to her speak, but stiffened in his walk as she spoke fondly about the Flower Festival.

"Isn't that the one meant for couples?" he asked, his voice almost a growl. He hadn't met her during those times. She smiled.

"Yes, but I never went with anyone romantically. I was more in love with flowers than men." He made a face.

"So if you had met someone who could give you flowers every day…" She saw where this was going and had to giggle. He loved to say he was secure when he would worry sometimes.

"Wouldn't you have burnt him and his flowers until they were nothing but ashes?" Oh, that's right. He calmed down considerably with his hand firm around hers.

"You will have whatever flower you want while we are here. Even if we have to stay longer." His last statement sounded like it was torture to say. He hated being near All Might. Their moods were night and day next to each other. She felt her heart flutter. He was willing to stay if it made her happy. Between them, that was true love.

Shouto wanted that. To stroll the streets with his mate on his arm. He didn't want to be like his father, fuck that, but he wanted what they shared. Seeing his father react to onlookers to his mother wondered how it would be if people looked at his Izuku one day. The idea of it made his blood boil. He hated his mind sometimes.

Fuyumi stumbled when she tripped over the fabric of her dress, quickly finding herself in Hawks' arms as he didn't pause his stride. She was immediately swooped up and carried like a princess. The worry was evident on his face.

"Are you okay, Fuyumi-chan?" She smiled gently and nodded. She leaned against his shoulder.

"Your feathers make it so easy to believe that I've been rescued by an angel," she murmured sweetly into his ear. Hawks's red feathers immediately tensed like he'd take flight, laughing shyly and leaning his head against Fuyumi's.

All Might turned to the newly engaged couple of Endeavor and grinned brightly.

"Fuyumi-ojo, Hawks-kun, congratulations on your marriage. Are you two going to have your wedding soon?" The two immediately beamed out of admiration and love for each other. Fuyumi tightened her grasp around Hawks's shoulders.

"Yes, we are! It would mean a lot if you to come to it. Your golden tail as a mer outshines the other lords' who will attend." She was remembering the time All Might attended a meeting as a mer. He was very convincing as a mer and moved like he had been born in the ocean. That pissed Endeavor off and he made sure he could move on land just as well as the Hero King could move in the water. Hawks nodded to him.

"Please come, ō-sama. It would be great if you did." All Might was his childhood hero just like everyone else's. He couldn't wait to rub in that 1) he was marrying the most beautiful mermaid in the kingdom and 2) the greatest hero was attending to give his blessing. Fuyumi seemed to read his mind, tilting her head towards him.

"Hawks really admires you!" Hawks' face turned bright red.

"Fuyumi-chan!" he squeaked, making her and Toshinori laugh. These two were completely in love and it was a joy to watch. It almost made him forgot the rumors of Hawks' treatment towards Fuyumi's former suitors.

"Haha! I will have cleared my schedule that day for you two." The two were clearly satisfied as Fuyumi thanked him, then remembered another guest she wanted to invite.

"We would also like to invite the prince as well. He might or might not be my brother-in-law one day. If anything, we would like him to see how the ocean is like." Fuyumi meant well, but Toshinori knew just as well that the mers would use that to their advantage and try to convince Midoriya to stay.

* * *

Midoriya could see All Might, the elites and the humanized mers arriving from the window. He still had the pearl in his hand, spending hours staring at it as he was fussed over by the maids and his mother while he was dressed. For the meeting, they made sure to choose garments that flaunted his status as prince, but he felt a little stuffy in them. He wasn't about to complain though.

Nighteye walked in and nodded to the maids to leave, bowing his head to Inko.

"Inko-sama, I request a moment with your son." Inko was still flustered when people addressed her so formally. She was once a simple seamstress, but when her son became prince, she moved into the castle and didn't have to work again. Still, she chose to personally make Izuku's royal garments alongside her own. She was well-respected in the court and loyally protected. Midoriya smiled at his mother and nodded, watching as she left with a worried smile.

Nighteye frowned a little when he saw the pearl in his hand.

"The prince gave you that?" Midoriya quickly looked down at his palm, blushing in embarrassment. But Nighteye didn't continue to bother.

"Midoriya-ouji, this will be your first formal meeting with another royal family. We have customs familiar to us, but remember that mers don't share all of them. You remember the etiquette I taught you on how to address their king?" The prince gulped. He had spent hours with Nighteye learning to speak and answer like a proper prince.

"Yes, Sir Nighteye." The advisor narrowed his eyes.

"You're lucky they have already arrived otherwise I would make you go over each and every lesson we've done in the past five days." Midoriya felt a cold sweat on his neck. He really didn't need the anxiety right now.

The meeting hall was decorated more elaborately than normal. Inko was royalty, but she wasn't comfortable and was afraid of offending the mers. Her knowledge of mers were that they were dangerous and obsessive. While worried, she was convinced by Aizawa to wait it out and busy herself with other things.

Midoriya and Nighteye waited patiently outside the meeting room with several elites. Iida and his friends were forced to stay in the courtyard for the meeting. He felt intimidated with not having his friends back him up, but he had to be okay with it for now.

All Might and the Todorokis approached the prince, who bowed in respect to Endeavor.

"Endeavor-ō. My name is Midoriya Izuku, the chosen prince of Yuuei. It is an honor to finally meet with you for such matters." Nighteye smiled a little to himself. Just how they practiced and Midoriya pulled it off almost flawlessly. Endeavor smirked.

"Hah, such a trained greeting. I'm sure Nighteye made you practice that for the five days before. Nevertheless, it is about time that I met the boy my Shouto is fond of. You should feel proud, Midoriya-ouji. To garner the attention of a mer, a Todoroki mer, is an accomplishment to be lauded." Around him, the mers silently agreed while the humans looked on with discomfort.

Shouto wasn't really paying much attention, looking straight at Midoriya. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and bowed his head to him.

"I'm glad to see you." Midoriya drank in his features as a human. He wore fancy clothing, but he could still tell how his muscles were defined in the unbuttoned areas of the chest. He could feel his blush coming back with a vengeance, but he quickly schooled his face into a polite smile.

"I'm glad to see you again too, Todoroki-ouji." It felt strange for the title to come off his tongue, but Todoroki didn't react to it and reached into his pocket. He gently pulled out a platinum necklace similar to the one around Rei's neck, but Shouto's was more unique. The delicate silver chain was a simple loop with a little net that hung just a bit awkwardly as if it was missing a finishing touch.

"This is for you." Even Aizawa was surprised and his eyes opened a little wider. Midoriya gasped.

"That's-" Todoroki nodded.

"Pure platinum harvested from the sea. My flames were used to manipulate the metal and create this necklace. The little net here is for your pearl. I can fasten it for you and make this a pearl necklace."

Both the queen and princess had platinum around their necks. It was a luxury to have and many pearls given to mers would be looped with twine or set in metals like steel and iron that had to be replaced every so often. Platinum never corroded, but it was hard to temper the metal without immense heat like a Todoroki mer. Todoroki mers only used their flames for metalsmithing if they were making jewelry for their mates. Metalsmiths worked tirelessly to make sure the necklaces came out perfect or risk facing the flames of the royal family.

His hand reached out to Izuku, who wordlessly gave him the pearl he kept. The mers looked on with pride as the prince maneuvered the pearl into the little net, knowing how important it was to gift a mate treasures from the sea. When he was finished, Midoriya's face was glowing with awe. It was a perfect fit. A custom-made necklace with the pearl webbed in delicate strands of platinum. He turned his back to the prince and let the mer drape and fasten the necklace around his neck. He was sure his face was completely red.

All Might had the conference doors opened for them to funnel in, taking the family first and a few of their men while the others would keep guard outside with some of the elite. It was a tense stare down in the hall, but still physically civil.

All Might, Izuku, Nighteye, Aizawa and several of the high-ranking elites were seated or stationed by the door. Nighteye and several others stood dutifully behind their king. Izuku and Shouto were seated deliberately across from each other at the table next to their respective kings. It was the perfect spot for Shouto to gaze lovingly at his mate. That didn't go unnoticed by the Hero King.

"So it seems that your prince is in love with my prince. Not hard to figure out. Todoroki-shounen isn't as affectionate like this normally." Shouto was staring at Izuku like he was an angel and wasn't hiding his obvious attraction to him. Enji raised a brow.

"And now that you know, are you proposing a wedding on land? A wedding under the sea is luxurious. I have no issue fronting the money if you find the price too steep. The Todoroki clan is always prepared for a royal wedding." Midoriya went red. How were they already talking about a wedding if they only met twice?

Nighteye shifted uncomfortably behind his king. Barely five minutes in this room and there was already talks of a wedding. Mers like Enji always assumed things would go their way. 'No' wasn't a word in their vocabulary against them.

Toshinori could sense his discomfort and made a subtle gesture for him to stay quiet.

"Wedding? So soon?" he asked. The mers looked around at each other in confusion while Enji crossed his arms over his chest.

"Not soon at all! This is expected of mers. We do not love carelessly as some humans do. Being in love means marriage in the next few months. After courtship is finished with the final gifts and blessings, the marriage is held ceremoniously. My daughter is finally to be wed to her fiancé because he was preoccupied with handling the other mers after her hand in marriage. If there are others who wish to wed Midoriya-ouji, then they must battle against Shouto for the right to have the prince by their side." The human prince felt a headache coming on with how fast things seemed to move in the sea world. Aizawa gave him a quick gesture with his fingers to keep his composure. Uneasy, Midoriya slowly nodded and cleared his throat quietly. All Might's eyes narrowed.

"To the death, I presume?" Enji had told him plenty of times when he had gotten rid of Rei's suitors. Some from existence. The Sea King smirked cruelly.

"If they yield like the krill that they are, then they don't have to die. Some don't and they end up dead. Like the…nine mers that I fought against for my queen." He had to remember the count. The number tends to slip when he thinks about injury versus fatality.

"What happens if I reject even if he wins?" Midoriya finally spoke, wanting his voice heard in this sudden tug-of-war. He was unwavering in his voice, but he didn't seem defiant. He just looked curious.

That curiosity seemed like a dagger to Shouto's heart. His heart went weak like a toxin was coursing through his veins. His voice was shaking when he found the energy to open his mouth against the shock he was feeling in his blood.

"You…you want to reject me?" he murmured, his words heard by the silent room. Izuku suddenly felt guilty. He hadn't meant to hurt his feelings. He didn't want to reject nor accept his affections. He was still on the fence because to put it simply, he didn't know him.

Nighteye took advantage of the silence.

"Will the prince also be harmed?" he asked, managing to mask his obvious disgust for merfolk courtship. Enji scoffed.

"Certainly not! It is revolting to turn your hand against your mate. Rejected mers fall into a depression and are forced to continue on with their lives. They will never love again. As pathetic as that sounds, they still live. From what I'm told and see, they live as if someone has torn a hole inside of them. This is common of mers who lose in a battle for a hand in marriage. If they do end up married, it's not fulfilling. Like I said, merfolk take affection and love seriously." Too seriously.

Shouto ignored them, focusing solely on Izuku.

"Why do you want to reject me? Have I done something to offend you? You didn't seem so against me that night." He really thought they were getting closer. Until they were interrupted, he suddenly remembered. He was kept from his mate by those other humans. Realizing this, his hands clenched tightly. Ice crystals and embers were slowly forming on his skin. Dabi nudged him sharply out of his stupor. Now wasn't the time to give into instincts when they had a dozen men ready to take him down.

Midoriya stuttered on his next words, making Shouto feel tranquil at his sweet voice.

"W-well…what if I don't actually like you? Humans have crushes on people, but it isn't always serious. After a while, some people fall out of their crushes." Ah, he was talking about human behavior. Shouto wasn't human, but he could see where the problem lied.

"You think you have a crush on me, not in love with me." It didn't hurt to say. He was blunt and thinking logically if he were in the shoes of a human. "I see. Then as a human, your courtship with people are longer. I hear that some people court each other for years before they marry."

Enji sneered in obvious distaste.

"Years. What a waste of time living in denial." Beside him, almost all of the mers agreed. Shouto wasn't listening to him.

"I'm willing to court you longer, at least until you know that I'm serious and until you are able to love me." He finally smiled a little again, imagining the two fully in love. Midoriya seemed pleased and surprised by his answer. He hadn't expected to him to be so considerate about his human feelings and uncertainty. Enji lit up the room with his flames as he turned angrily towards his son.

"Shouto! Did you think about how long that would take?" His flaming fist hit the table, but was quickly canceled out by Aizawa's quirk to prevent the wood from burning. The king turned his stare to the other prince.

"Listen, Midoriya-ouji, this insecurity of yours is baseless. Human and mer relationships are plenty rare, but the ones that do happen are equally as happy as mers. My own great-grandmother fell in love with a human and he became a mer for her. They were happy and had thirteen children together. That word humans use…'divorce.'" He spat it like poison. "It doesn't exist for mers. If my son is in love with you, than he would never abandon you."

His chest puffed in pride as he gauged the reactions of the humans around him. He knew he was right and he had a sneaking suspicion that they knew as well. Midoriya held his ground.

"I want a say in the matter. If he loves me, then I want to love him back. This is moving too fast and I don't feel like I know anything about him. The second time we met was when I finally learned his name." Beside him, All Might agreed and nodded firmly.

"He gets a say." His voice boomed in order. Shouto agreed too.

"I'm giving him one. But…" He glanced over at Midoriya with adoration and sincerity. "I truly want to be with you. I want you to know that first."

Before the two would get swept up in puppy love, Nighteye cut in.

"How will you achieve that, Midoriya-ouji? Even if you get a say, what about which kingdom you will be residing in after you decide to marry him? You aren't a simple human, you are the prince of Yuuei," he reminded strongly. The future of humanity had continued prosperity if Izuku rightfully became king. Nighteye knew that and he doubted it at first, but Midoriya had a way to make everyone pour their hopes into him and he always proved to them his worthiness as future king.

Enji's eye twitched, knowing where this was going.

"As usual you think about the future of humankind, Nighteye." The name was spat out with venom. Nighteye let the venom roll off of him and remained taciturn in his expression.

"Of course. I'm human. Just as I'm sure your advisors may have said that they want your prince to stay in Endeavor. Would you allow your prince to become a human for ours?" he asked coolly. Enji didn't let that surprise him.

"If happiness and prosperity is better achieved elsewhere, who are you to deny it?" The ocean was a more fitting life than one on land. Rei loved the surface, but her home was the ocean. All Might held up a hand to cut them off.

"That is in the hands of the princes' themselves. However, you know my answer to that question already. If it needs to be discussed further, that is if Midoriya-shounen chooses to be with Todoroki-shounen. If," he emphasized to the mers. The mers looked uncomfortable at the ambiguous words by the king, but they were asking for the hand of the prince. Endeavor wasn't deterred, smirking as he reached for a potion tied to his belt. He held up the glowing blue potion and waved it casually.

"We just so happened to bring a potion for the prince to become a mer. If he wants a courtship, what better than to do so in the sea? He's being courted by a mer, after all. The Crown Prince himself," he added with a spark of pride. Midoriya felt his pulse quake. He wasn't comfortable going out to sea. He had an imagery of being lovingly tied to the prince's side while he cooed and fawned over him. He glanced quickly over at All Might, who straightened his back.

"I will not allow that. I know the nature of mers. What's to say Midoriya-shounen won't be kept down there until he supposedly falls in love?" Yanderes may have extreme love over their partners, but they fell in love faster than a normal human could comprehend. Endeavor rolled his eyes.

"Love grows over time, doesn't it?" he spat, annoyed by the indecisiveness of humans. That wasn't a no to the question. All Might held his ground.

"It will not grow in an environment he's not comfortable in. He has already expressed to me his desire to get to know the prince on land. If he goes into the sea, you may have him married to the prince as soon as possible. We humans are skeptical when it comes to quick romances that mers experience. Merfolk are confident in their feelings and that love is spontaneous. It isn't for humans unless naive or true love at first sight, which is rare. Midoriya-shounen needs time and he will get that time with a proper courtship. Those are the conditions. He will not go to sea so quickly if he has an ounce of doubt or uneasiness." Technically wasn't a no and that meant Shouto had the chance to show off his superior qualities to his mate. This would be a distant memory once Midoriya gets pregnant and is sleeping blissfully by his side.

"Then Shouto will face trials of human courtship here," Endeavor stated plainly. Many of them stared at him in disbelief. Shouto didn't even flinch, grateful for once for his father's big mouth.

"Here?" Nighteye gasped, not hiding his shock. Endeavor sneered.

"Courtship is important, is it not? Since you have such an issue with your prince being vulnerable in the sea, then Shouto will court him on land. I propose that he stay here and court Midoriya-ouji in both human and mer ways." He only let them ponder for a few seconds before letting his pride speak.

"It shouldn't be difficult. Shouto has learned to walk and move about as well as any human can on land. He isn't vulnerable. After a suitable amount of weeks, then I invite Midoriya-ouji to my kingdom to stay and learn about merfolk in ways your books can't teach. He will also be given the honor of experiencing merfolk courtship. Once marriage is reached, then they can properly decide which kingdom to stay in. My seas are welcome as I am sure your land is."

All Might kept his gaze leveled to the Sea King's. "You entrust your prince in my custody?"

Enji scrunched his face in distaste. "You are a strong king and have established better relations with my kingdom than your predecessors. My clan advised me to trust your word despite my disdain for you. If Shouto wants, he can stay. And he will."

The thought of acknowledging All Might's strength made him feel nauseous. All Might's usual smile was back at full force.

"I have no issues housing your prince." He nodded to Shouto, who had a ghost of a smile on his face. Enji smugly crossed his arms over his chest.

"You could learn a thing or two from him about us mers. We mate for life and our loyalty to our mates continues even after one dies. For our mates, we will do just about anything for their affection and safety. You won't even need knights protecting your prince with Shouto around." His Shouto had been thrown into training once he managed to stay on his feet. With the men teaching and sparring him, he was able to fight on land with little difficulty.

Among the elite, Present Mic snickered and elbowed Aizawa.

"Our knights might need to protect him from the mer brat." Aizawa shushed him harshly, but Mt. Lady was nodding.

"He looked at our prince with lust in his eyes. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts seducing him right out the gate." Nighteye clicked his tongue at her to quiet. All Might landed his hand heavily on the table, the deep sound echoing the room.

"Then it's decided! Todoroki-shounen will reside here in the castle to court Midoriya-shounen. If he fails, he must agree to leave him alone and return to sea. If Midoriya-shounen wishes to continue courtship, he will go, with knights, to the ocean. Any talks of marriage and residency will further be discussed on land. If there is any attempt to hold Midoriya-shounen hostage, there will be no marriage and we will be in talks of dissolving certain relations with your kingdom." His icy tone in the last remarks could rival arctic waters. The mers were surprisingly calm and agreeable. Probably because pissing off the Hero King would be devastating. He participated in battles to defend land and sea several times from threats. He had a gentle hand that could easily crush someone if he willed it. The king turned to Shouto.

"Todoroki-shounen, you are a remarkable young mer who carries the burden of becoming king to one of the most powerful territories in our world. I trust you to make good decisions when it comes to this courtship. Consider Midoriya-shounen's feelings. Love can be one-sided in the human world and rejection is common. However," his tone suddenly changed to a doting father's, clapping a large hand on his apprentice. "This boy wears his heart on his sleeve! Yet he's so shy that if he does end up liking you, he won't act on it out of embarrassment. Why, anyone he thinks is cute can never get a proper conversation because he's too busy being shy and trying to hide his face!"

Midoriya paled so white he looked like a ghost. He was stuttering like mad as he tried to quiet his king.

"A-All Mi-Might! Don't do this to me!" he squeaked, desperately trying to fight against the hand on his shoulder. All Might continued like Midoriya's desperate bats were nothing but wind.

"Just continue to be charming and you'll see!" Shouto was soaking in his words like a sponge while his family laughed. Nighteye wasn't laughing. It was still too early to use his quirk again to see into their futures. It was a murky sight, but perhaps next time would be more fruitful.

* * *

The next thing to do was introduce Shouto to the knights for a proper introduction. Rei figured she didn't need to be around for that. She was going to take a rest in the guest suite All Might provided for her and Enji. Fuyumi and Hawks were going with Enji to oversee the introductions with Touya, who was probably going to point and laugh if things went awry. If he did, she was going to scold him later. Natsuo was going with his mother to make sure she got to her room safely with two other mermen, who were going to guard her door while she rests.

Once they reached her suite, Natsuo opened the double doors and cried out in shock when a vase full of flowers tumbled when a door hit a large branch sticking out. He dashed to catch it and sighed in relief, then gasped when he saw how much flowers were in the room. Where was the floor?!

Rei loved the sight. Flowers decorated almost every inch of the room, blanketed carefully here and there with care. Many held the amaryllis flowers she loved. Roses, lilies, orchids and at least a dozen of other species bloomed daintily in their vases. It was an explosion of soft and bold colors. Only Enji would allow such a thing. The same thought crossed Natsuo's mind, but not in the same loving tone as his mother's.

"Didn't Dad think about moving around the room?!" The other mers helped him up, but he quickly waved his arm around to the oak table in the suite.

"Get that huge table and stack all the flowers on these! As long as we make it neat, Dad won't cause a ruckus. We can't barely walk without trampling something!" The mers quickly obeyed their prince and tried moving towards the table, but the pretty blooms seemed menacing with the condition of making sure they would be unbothered. Enji would set them on fire if the petals were ripped out. One vase lifted off the floor by itself and slowly moved out of the room passed Rei. The mers looked behind them just as the vase landed in the hands of a woman the same age as the queen with familiar green hair. Her pink dress was simple in terms of royal attire, but had the same meticulous crafting from a royal tailor. The vase was quickly taken by the group of maids with the woman. She nervously bowed to the mers.

"G-good afternoon! I am Midoriya Inko. I saw you had difficulties moving about and wanted to help give you a path." One of her head maids was part of the elite. Midnight had been assigned as a personal guard to her and she didn't hesitate to agree. She stepped forward with a polite smile that neared smarminess.

"Midoriya-sama is mother to the next king of Yuuei. We must advise you to address her by that title." Inko looked away in embarrassment. Rei giggled. She was very much like her son. When she bowed her head, her mers followed suit.

"I am Todoroki Rei, Queen of Endeavor. It is a pleasure to meet you, Midoriya-sama. Your assistance is greatly appreciated." Inko had never been in the presence of a queen before. She was practically shaking.

"H-hai. We found it a little odd that servants were told to bring dozens of flowers to this room. We were afraid there would be no room to move." Beside her, her maids silently giggled as they remembered the lines of maids with flowers leading into the room. Natsuo snorted.

"Fear came true," he muttered bitterly. Inko smiled kindly.

"My maids and I would like to help you clean up. Then I made some tea. We can take you to the Royal Gardens to have some." She and Rei were probably not going to be allowed to clean anyway. Rei accepted the help for her son and guards.

"Thank you. I would love to learn more about the prince through the eyes of the mother."

* * *

Midoriya's knights were ordered to stand at attention as they waited for the royal families to come down to the courtyard. Tensei was reminding them to mind their manners and treat the mers like guests. Tenya was parroting his brother's words to his knights, who were nodding and keeping a straight face. Bakugou grumbled. Being friendly sucked. Their friends were moved off to the side of the courtyard and were ordered to keep silent if they wanted to stay. With Sero and Jirou's help, Uraraka poured a silence potion down his throat and bound him up with tape when he kept voicing his fears about the mers.

Tsuyu was with Momo, who kept getting odd looks from her friends. Momo slanted a look over at them.

"Tsuyu-chan. I recommend that I be introduced to your friends. They look confused." Tsuyu looked over and saw what she meant.

"Will you be okay with that?" Momo shrugged.

"I have to be. I will be staying on land longer in order to make a potion to change me back into a mer. It was the better option than asking my mother for a potion. She gave me one for emergencies, but I want to make my own." Mer pride. Tsuyu nodded and led her to her friends, who all looked up questioningly. Tsuyu held a hand out to Momo.

"Everyone, this is Yaoyorozu Momo. She's one of the mer friends I made in the ocean." Momo bowed her head cordially.

"I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance. I hope to get along with you all." Uraraka, being the friendliest, was quick to reach out and shake her hand. As their hands met, they instantly looked up at each other.

"You're a witch," they both said in unison. Witches could sense each other's auras that way. Uraraka was beaming.

"I'm sure we'll get along!" Momo smiled gently, then looked over at Jirou. The human was taken aback at the beautiful mermaid, but quickly nodded to her politely. The others introduced themselves to her and she was even more enamored when her mate shyly smiled at her in greeting, nearly forgetting to give her name. Momo giggled. She was falling more and more in love. Before they could get to know each other more, they heard an announcement by Present Mic.

"Your Royal Highnesses of Yuuei and Endeavor!" The courtyard fell silent and everyone stood at attention.

All Might strode out with Midoriya by his side. Their gazes didn't waver from moving forward as they approached Midoriya's knights. The knights saluted, Bakugou keeping his sneer to himself. Enji was next with Shouto beside him. Touya, Fuyumi and Hawks were behind them with several mermen knights. Following Tensei's command, the knights saluted them as well. All Might nodded to Tenya.

"Iida-shounen, make the introduction of your group to our honored guests." Tenya straightened up and bowed.

"Hai!" He knelt down with the others. "I am Iida Tenya! Second son of the Iida clan and personal guard to Midoriya-ouji. Beside me to my right is Tokoyami Fumikage, one of the Tokoyami clan's fledglings with the greatest potential with the use of his Dark Shadow. Next to him is Kirishima Eijirou, son of the Kirishima clan with great defense for our prince. And finally Bakugou Katsuki, son of the Bakugou with explosive power against offenders."

Shouto nodded, not too interested in meeting them. He wasn't too dismissive, but the others knew that he was more interested in their prince. But Bakugou didn't care.

"Got a problem?" he growled lowly. Iida had sensitive hearing when it came to Bakugou.

"Bakugou-kun!" he hissed. The kings didn't bother butting in. As long as they didn't escalate to fights. Bakugou might be offending, but the Todoroki clan didn't waver to something as trivial as that. Todoroki slanted a look over to him.

"No," he stated bluntly. "I have better things to do with my time as of now."

That only served to incense Bakugou further.

"HAH?! Wanna go?!" Todoroki narrowed his eyes.

"If I said I didn't want to waste my time, why would I go anywhere with you?" Behind him, Dabi, Fuyumi and Hawks all had similar thoughts. _'He took things literally again.'_

Midoriya stepped forward so he was in between them.

"W-wait! You two don't need to fight! Bakugou gets angry a lot, but he mainly means well!" Bakugou's eyes were like hot coals.

"Deku! I don't mean well! Quit makin' me look like a bitch!" Todoroki ignored him to stare lovingly at his mate.

"I'm not too bothered by him. We should finish these introductions soon. I want a chance to get to know and court you." At his wishes, Midoriya smiled and laughed a little in embarrassment. Ah, was this the shy side All Might mentioned? It was adorable. Bakugou hated being ignored.

"You think you're hot shit, aren't ya?!" At once, Todoroki's sweet tone soured.

"I read that land mammals called cows have calm demeanors. Since they're so numerous on land, you should learn from them. It might be beneficial to you." Bakugou's sanity cracked like glass. The humans seemed to hear it too because they slowly turned to gauge his reaction. It was like hearing a bomb ticking off as Bakugou absorbed Todoroki's words. Two explosions went off, but his arms had been forced up in the air by Iida.

"THAT FUCKING FISH JUST MOCKED ME! BRING IT ON, FUCKING FISH STICKS!" Todoroki remained unbothered. His siblings were sighing calmly. He was making friends already.

"Bakugou-kun! Restrain yourself!" Iida ordered, struggling with his rage. Tokoyami used Dark Shadow to help him with Kirishima hardening his skin and grabbing Bakugou's arms. While the four cluttered around, Todoroki turned to Midoriya with a sweet smile.

"I'm not as monstrous as you may think, Midoriya. It seems like your knight knows more about that than I do." Midoriya laughed sheepishly. No one could match Bakugou when it came to pure rage, so he was sure he wasn't wrong.

Enji hummed a little. "Quite a range of quirks. Still, Shouto can best them and protect the prince just as well if not better. He is one of the strongest mers in the ocean."

All Might wasn't about to say that the knights were meant to protect Midoriya from him. Todoroki was a good kid, but that didn't mean he was above kidnapping the prince out of love.

* * *

People were leaving the courtyard after formal introductions were done. The elites followed the kings back to the throne room while Midoriya was introducing his friends to Todoroki. Now they could meet the mer who had given them so much trouble a few days ago.

The group was wary at first, but the girls were immediately smitten by how his gaze kept shifting over to Midoriya. Maybe he did love their prince, but they were still scared if he was going to disappear one night because Todoroki stole him away. The others could tell that Todoroki didn't care to acknowledge them as much as he did Midoriya.

As they finished, Midoriya took Todoroki on a tour around the city, his friends keeping a watchful eye behind the scenes. His knights were keeping a more watchful eye. Bakugou had a watchful and evil eye.

Todoroki felt invigorated to be standing next to Midoriya while he was happily pointing around the city and explaining to him about the work people were doing and the landmarks. His wish to stand beside his mate was coming true and he needed to be patient and mindful of Midoriya's feelings. He had accepted his necklace, wearing it proudly with the pearl swinging around his neck. Shouto was a little put off at how nervous humans were when it came to feelings. Midoriya should know that Shouto's heart already belonged to him. How could it not? He was kind and selfless, coupled with a smile that could keep you warm for days. It was hard not to be drawn to him. Shouto barely tolerated company and he couldn't see himself being away from Midoriya's willingly.

A cart wheeled by that was full of decorations, which reminded Shouto of the cart he had seen earlier before his family reached the castle.

"There's a festival coming up?" he asked. Midoriya stopped to watch the cart, grinning proudly.

"It's firefly season here on land! The festival is setting up for the time when they're going to light up the night. It's a nice sight to see. Generally," he looked away, face growing warm, "it's meant for couples. A lot of people propose to their loved ones there. Some even do it again to remind them of their engagement."

Todoroki's heart leapt. A romantic festival was the perfect time for Midoriya to fall in love with him. He couldn't screw it up. He smiled gently.

"Do you want to go to the festival together?" The suggestion didn't fall on just Midoriya's ears. All his friends heard it and there was a brief moment of panic. But Midoriya seemed content. He wanted to let Todoroki court him.

"I'd like that. But I hope you don't mind being not so intimate. I'm still a little uncomfortable with that." He read once that mers would kiss after feelings were accepted. Midoriya could barely look him in the eye sometimes! Todoroki nodded.

"I understand. I don't want to do anything you're uncomfortable with. Mers aren't always physically intimate, you know," he teased. Midoriya wanted to dig a hole and lay in it. Bakugou wanted to be of age so he could drown his liver in alcohol.

* * *

In the gardens, Rei felt her spirits lift further when she found herself surrounded by a sea of blooms planted in rows of rainbow color. The royal women were lead to a snow white gazebo that shaded two chairs and a clean table. Green vines weaved around the spaces in the gazebo and blocked out the sunlight. Inko took a seat with Rei and both waited for tea to be poured and served to them.

"I heard from my husband that the Midoriya family was made up of adventurers and farmers. Many went into smithing because of a common fire-breathing quirk." Rei spoke cautiously, hoping she was correct. From Inko's smile, she was. Inko took a sip of tea and sighed calmly.

"We are. My husband was a blacksmith himself. He…" her hands shook and fisted in her lap, tears pricking her eyes as she fought to remain calm, "he died when Izuku was little. Over ten years ago. He just got sick and…that's all I can remember the doctors telling me."

She had collapsed at the news with her sisters screaming for help. Even talking about it to this day made her feel cold. Rei inhaled sharply, not meaning to bring up hurtful memories.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to make you upset, Inko-sama. I didn't know about your husband." Inko pulled herself together, taking a handkerchief by Midnight. She smiled and shook her head.

"It's not your fault. It just hurts sometimes. I should have thought to marry again and give Izuku a good father, but I couldn't bear to be with anyone else but my husband." Rei blinked.

"Marry again?" she asked, unsure if she heard right. Inko jolted, remembering that she was speaking to a mermaid. Romance was once in a lifetime.

"O-oh. Some humans remarry after failed marriages or if someone passes on. It's common for humans to love again rather than be bound by tragedy. I just loved my husband and no other." Rei's heart cracked at the idea of Enji or her being apart with other mers. Humans truly were different. While she could understand, that didn't mean she would do the same. Inko was quick to change the subject.

"Things started looking up for Izuku when he enrolled into the academy for mandatory self-defense. Being quirkless, he still wanted to become a knight despite not having any biological advantages. He caught the king's attention one day during a spar with his friend. Next thing I knew, I was approached by the elite to move into the castle as 'Inko-sama.' I remember him telling me that he became the prince and next heir to the throne." Both Midoriyas flooded the hallways with their tears. She began to cry again, proudly this time.

"He's been through so much with people putting him down and telling him that he'd amount to nothing in our village. Now he shoulders the hope of the people as their next king. I'm really proud of him. I hope that your son will appreciate him more." At the mention of her son, Rei's heart filled with motherly love.

"He will do nothing but. Rest assured that we mers care for nothing but the happiness of our mates. Shouto will prove that." Someone loving her Izuku for more than just his status as prince, Inko could only hope.

* * *

During dinner, the mers joined All Might and the Midoriyas in the dining room. Most talk surrounded Hawks and Fuyumi's wedding. Izuku was explaining a few of the dishes to Shouto animatedly, his knights eating their meals close to the room since they were not of rank to eat with them. Bakugou wanted to throw bread at Midoriya every time he kept stupidly grinning at Shouto, who obviously wanted to eat him sexually. Luckily, Iida stole the bread basket.

With dinner out of the way, Enji gruffly retired to his suite with Rei and his children did the same. Shouto and Izuku went to the hot springs together to enjoy another human activity. It felt nice to be near the water again. Although being human meant he wouldn't feel so dried out, Shouto still felt the need to feel water on his skin.

Bakugou and the others were told to keep guard outside, which was fine since there was no entry to the ocean with the hot springs.

"They're gonna totally do it in there…" Kirishima murmured to Iida. Iida looked apprehensive.

"Kirishima-kun! Just because you and Bakugou-kun did such inappropriate actions does not mean that the princes will!" Kirishima didn't even blush, shrugging nonchalantly.

"I'm just saying."

* * *

In the changing room, Midoriya avoided staring at how sculpted Todoroki was. The glimpse he allowed himself to have consisted of seeing the thick muscles of his legs. Mers were swimmers by nature. It was a guarantee that they'd have muscular legs.

Midoriya went back to taking off his clothes, a little nervous to be going into the hot springs He wrapped himself in a towel, noting the scars that ran down his arms. He had gotten them from training and using the quirk he was gifted from All Might. He worried about showing them to him. Would Todoroki find him ugly? He was still a little self-conscious about them. They were a part of him and reminders of his endeavors to become stronger, but he still had trouble seeing them. They were ugly.

They sat together in a shallow part of one spring, Midoriya successfully hiding his arms in the water. Todoroki laid back on the rocks, sighing in content. Warm water was only normal to him if he was warming it himself. It felt nice not to do anything for it. He couldn't help but notice Midoriya hiding himself in the water. His body was quite attractive. Todoroki's reacted accordingly. He learned about human mating and arousal. He was aroused by Midoriya and he didn't shrug it off. Between his legs, his cock was constricted by the warm water and towel. He kept his voice leveled.

"Midoriya," the husk in his voice spilled through, "you don't look relaxed. Isn't that the point of this?"

On instinct, Midoriya lifted his arms to wave them dismissively. "N-no! I'm fine!"

Todoroki narrowed his eyes, catching several scars that ran along his mate's skin. Those scars didn't look kind. He would be glad to set whoever did this on fire. Midoriya caught his gaze, quickly sinking his arms back into the water. Todoroki shifted forward.

"Show me," he murmured, the order soft but still unyielding. Like a child caught in trouble, Midoriya slowly pulled his arms out of the water, withering under Shouto's scrutinizing gaze. The mer gently grabbed his right arm, his dominant arm marred with the most scars. His blood boiled at the thought of someone harming his mate. He would have no issues tracking them down and melting their bones.

"Who did this?" he hissed, the sound frightening Midoriya. Mer tongue was still very foreign to him. He looked up quickly.

"I did!" he squeaked. The murderous intent extinguished like ice water on fire. Todoroki blinked and an innocent look overtook his face.

"Huh?" he managed to say, confused by his answer. Midoriya nodded, looking down at his scars thoughtfully.

"Training. I was quirkless before and the only way people spoke to me before was to mock me for having nothing. It was back then!" he shouted quickly when he heard a low growl. "But I was training to become a knight despite that. And when All Might met me and said he wanted me to take his place, I ended up receiving the quirk he has. I'm not used to something so powerful, so I ended up getting hurt more than I felt like I was making a difference. I've gotten a lot better, but the scars are left from what our doctor couldn't heal. I hate looking at them sometimes, but I use them to remind me of my journey."

He looked up at Todoroki, eyes glossing with tears. "Are they ugly?"

Todoroki's immediate response was to wrap his arms around him and hold his mate close. "No. I'd never find you ugly. I was just surprised to see them, that's all. I thought someone did this to you."

He had been seconds away from murdering someone. Even though he promised to be courteous and mindful of human customs, disrespecting his mate was something he could never tolerate. Anyone who dared to speak or touch his mate with insolence would have their bodies in ice with their limbs broken off.

In his arms, he would feel Midoriya's tense muscles start to relax until it felt like Midoriya melted into him. "I'm glad," he murmured.

They embraced for what seemed like seconds until Todoroki's body was reeling in desire. In Midoriya's mind, he felt safer in the prince's arms. He wasn't judged. He wasn't looked at with pity like many villagers had when they would see him around before he became prince. He wasn't looked at with disdain like others had to him when they whispered to each other about how pathetic he was. He could never be a knight, they had said when they thought he wasn't listening.

Now that he was prince, it was like the blindfolds came off and people actually saw him for him, not for what he didn't have. After sniffling for a little while longer, Midoriya looked up at the prince.

"I'm sorry. I wanted you to know more about me, but it kinda turned into a mess." Midoriya's warm blush was everything Todoroki didn't know he needed. He shook his head with a calm smile.

"It didn't. I want to know more about you and the same way goes. I would love to tell you more about me and merfolk." Midoriya's curiosity perked up at the invitation. He did want to know more about merfolk. He felt like he knew little of them besides their obsessive love. Humans took love in stride while mers seized it.

"I'll teach you more about humans too! I'm not the smartest person, but I'll do my best!" His eagerness was a turn on. It rivaled his innocence. Again, Todoroki felt his lower half throb at the thought of the prince writhing underneath him. Merfolk mating was intense, carrying on in caves dedicated and claimed by pairs. No one can casually enter a cave even if mating wasn't taking place. Endeavor forbade his servants from entering his unless they received permission from Rei. The thought of bringing Midoriya into their own cave excited him further. But he had to keep his desires at bay. Though he couldn't help but allude his desire to his mate.

"Maybe you can teach me more about the human body." He couldn't mask the husk in his voice, combining with low chirps in his mother tongue that brought shivers down Izuku's spine.

"W-what?!" he sputtered, hoping he wasn't having a dirty mind. His thoughts went straight to sex and his ears went bright red. He didn't dare to look down between the sea prince's legs. He was completely oblivious and unsure if he had felt a throbbing dick near his leg.

Todoroki nodded, actually curious while still being playful to his mate.

"I've been practicing walking and moving around as a human before I got here, but since meeting you, I start feeling parts of me react. Especially here." He took Midoriya's hand and slid it right over his erection that was straining against the towel. The human felt blood rush to his own dick as his fingers brushed against the thin towel.

"Th-that's-!" he squeaked, finished calmly by Todoroki.

"My cock, I know. This is normal, I'm assuming." As a reaction towards his mate, it made sense. But it felt inconvenient because it wasn't very subtle.

Midoriya shook his head.

"Not normally! Mainly if you feel...you know..." He shied away from Todoroki's warm gaze. "A-arousal..."

Todoroki didn't even look shocked or embarrassed, something Midoriya was envious of. Instead, he took in Izuku's words carefully and weighed out his response.

"I see. That makes sense. I'm aroused by you. That _is_ normal, since I consider you my mate." He looked down at him again, eyes glowing in hope. "Do you happen to feel aroused by me?"

Midoriya's face resembled a tomato. Either the prince had no shame or he was completely confident in his own feelings. Short answer, he was somewhat aroused by Shouto. Who wouldn't be? He had a handsome face and a great build. His voice could lure him into a bedroom. Okay, he was pretty aroused. He couldn't help but feel drawn to the prince. Maybe it was his curiosity, but it could also be the fateful romance mers felt toward their lovers. Mers weren't shy in their affection and they were genuine. To be cared for by a handsome mer was something Midoriya had never thought he'd experience. After being put down most of his life, it was a complete turn of events to have someone want him. And that someone was a prince himself.

But right now, he was completely embarrassed and wanted to hide. Physical affection was hard for him to give. All Might wasn't joking when he said he was shy.

He turned his face so Todoroki couldn't see it.

"Y-you should get rid of that! It's not something humans are fond of showing off or seeing. We don't have the luxury mers do when it comes to arousal. We try to hide it until we're behind closed doors." Todoroki hadn't moved an inch away from Midoriya.

"Do mates help with that?" The embarrassing questions had Midoriya wanting to dive into the water and drown. It was said with such a straight face that he doubted it was a joke.

"C-cold water does! You should probably go where there's colder water!" He gestured to a far corner of the hot springs where a waterfall was set up. The water was cooler than the hot springs for people who were prone to passing out in the heat. It should be cold enough to…fix the prince's problem. Todoroki glanced over to the waterfall, noting that it was at least a few feet deep. It probably wasn't used as much. With one arm still around Midoriya, he swept his mate closer to the corner, earning a squeak of surprise. On instinct, Midoriya wrapped his arms around his body closely.

"Want to join me for a swim? You can hold onto me if we get too deep." The corner wasn't that deep, but at least it was deep enough for Midoriya to drown himself in embarrassment.

The princes waded towards the colder water, the change in temperature enough to calm Todoroki's body down. Midoriya dutifully turned his back so he couldn't see anything, settling against a rock. Todoroki smiled at his back, taking a deep breath to calm himself down and change the awkward atmosphere.

"This firefly festival sounds like something my mother would enjoy. She told me that she would come to land during her teens with her friends." Midoriya perked up and turned. He had heard of mers coming to land to hang out, but it was hard to distinguish who was a mer because they used potions to turn themselves human. To think that the queen herself came to land years ago was surprising because mers with noble blood tended to stay in the sea.

"She came to land a lot?" he asked, remembering the kind smile Rei had. She seemed to glow in the sun despite her husband's obvious disgust for land and the humans.

"Yeah. She and my sister like land. I was impartial to it. Until now." He caught Midoriya's eyes and stared appreciatively. "Land seems worth it."

Midoriya's heart fluttered, a warmth surging in his chest. If they took things slow, he could handle it. Maybe he could fall in love too. He wondered how it was like to be so in love with someone like Todoroki had. He seemed to really like Midoriya.

"Heh…I hope that maybe-" The doors to the hot springs opened quickly, banging into the walls with force. A blur shot in and towards the princes, who whirled around in alert. The fury was all too familiar to the human prince.

"Fucking Deku! Don't have sex in here!" Bakugou shouted, holding a giant basket of towels menacingly. Iida was rushing in after him.

"Bakugou-kun!" he roared, hoping to stop him before he offended anyone. Bakugou raised the basket over his head.

"Cover the fuck up!" He dumped the dozens of towels all over the princes to hide every trace of skin he could. Deku should fucking thank him for saving his dignity. And his virginity.

Shouto saw red when Bakugou approached, enraged that someone was storming in to see his mate practically naked and disturbing their time together. The human potion hadn't taken the mer tongue out of Shouto. He hissed in his mother tongue, slamming his right hand to the water. On contact, ice spread from his fingers, freezing the top of the hot springs and shooting spikes towards Bakugou. Bakugou retaliated by exploding the ice spears that dared to get closer to his head.

Grabbing ahold of the back of Bakugou's shirt, Iida used his Recipro Burst and twisted his body hard and fast enough to throw Bakugou into another area of the hot springs.

Midoriya used One for All at barely one percent, grabbing Todoroki and pulling him down into the hot springs. Just to shock him more than attack him. Immediately, Todoroki calmed down once Midoriya held him. Like an obedient puppy, he looked up at Midoriya lovingly as he kept upright in the water to keep from falling. Normally, he would think that what Midoriya was stupid, he could get hurt. But he thought that Midoriya was so brave and kind-hearted to stop the fighting.

Midoriya looked up, shocked at the sweet look Todoroki was giving him. He thought that his actions offended the prince, but they seemed to have done the opposite.

Aizawa stormed into the hot springs with Kirishima and Tokoyami behind him, using his capture cloth to bind Bakugou down. He glared at the knight and held up two bath robes.

"All of you. Out. Your Highnesses, wear these and go to your rooms immediately." His tone left no room to argue. He tossed the robes over to them and dragged Bakugou out with him, gritting his teeth in annoyance. They were told to be civil and Bakugou was the polar opposite of that. He was going to reprimand the whole group in the morning because he was already tired from today. The blonde tried screaming at his former teacher, but his complaints were muffled by cloth. Iida stood at attention and bowed before following them out.

Embarrassed, Midoriya quickly put the robe on and tied the sash around his waist, turning to see Todoroki simply holding the robe while still naked. His smile was like honey.

"I still haven't gotten the hang of putting on clothes. Could you help me?" he asked. Midoriya's jaw dropped. Helping him wear the robe was hard since he tried his best to not look at him. While Midoriya fumbled around adorably, Todoroki let his imagine wander to a night where Midoriya would be taking off his robes instead.

* * *

 **Yo, this was LONG. I'm sorry the wait was long too! BEFORE I FORGET.** **The necklace Shouto made is inspired by these gorgeous Paspaley pearl necklaces I saw on a documentary on pearls while writing the last chapter. Since I can't post links, look up the Lavalier Circle from Paspaley pearls. It's such a beautiful necklace.**

 **Next chapter preview:**

 _"You should be lucky I agreed to be cordial during my stay here. Had this been at sea, there would be no trace of your body once the sharks finish feeding on your corpse."_

 _…_

 _"Deku-kun! I made some potions to help protect you just in case the prince is thinking about dragging you into the sea!"_

 _…_

 _"Festivals like these are to help people find or cement their love for one another. Maybe it will help you as well, Midoriya-shounen. I want the best for this country, but I want you to be happy as well. I'm sure your mother agrees with me."_


	6. Fucking Fireflies

**I take forever, guys. I just…do. But I try to make up for it by doing long chapters! I was a bit busy this month studying for another entrance exam, but I scored 91%! Now to wait for December to see if I was accepted into that nursing school. Here's to that! To my reviewers:**

dancibayo **: I'm pulling a lot of influence from Little Mermaid! I kept listening to the soundtrack for a couple chapters that I wrote. Bakugou is the Virginity Defender. It is his duty.**

Kichou **: He'll do anything for his fluffy green mate!**

Z Girl Warrior **: Thank you! I'm sorry the wait was so long.**

SpiritofLove961 **: Thank you!**

JessMP **: Me and long updates tend to go hand-in-hand. I try to make up for it by making chapters long and nicely detailed. I had to do some research on mermaids for a bit of canon to lore, mixing it with siren research and my own ideas. From fantasy lore, I feel that mermaids would fit the yandere personality. It's a ton of fun to write.**

YokaiAngel **: Aww, you too!**

* * *

Leaving the hot springs felt like the walk of shame in Midoriya's eyes. The others were forced to gather the sopping wet towels into a basket and take it to the laundry room. Aizawa was leading the princes back to their rooms while keeping an eye on the sea prince who looked like he wanted to take Midoriya into his.

"KATSUKI! YOU THREW AN ENTIRE BASKET OF TOWELS INTO THE HOT SPRINGS?! GET YOUR ASS IN HERE AND WASH THEM!" thundered Bakugou Mitsuki's voice from the laundry room. The room was several levels down, yet her voice could be hear clearly as the trio passed a nearby window. Curious, Todoroki stopped by the window and peered out.

"HAG! I'M NOT DOING THAT SHIT!" was Bakugou's reply. Todoroki's eyes narrowed. Bakugou was just unfriendly with everyone and he probably got that from his mother. If you yell at your son like that, isn't he destined to be a psycho loudmouth?

"TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, YOU BRAT!" Mitsuki shrieked. Aizawa wanted to bang his head on the wall. They were supposed to look exemplary in front of royal guests and hide their misbehavior behind closed doors. He couldn't even begin to think about Enji's smug face watching chaos unfold. Midoriya smiled at Todoroki.

"That's Bakugou's mom. She's in charge of the laundry and helps tailor royal clothing. She's pretty nice!" His voice was angelic and soft to Todoroki's ears. Somehow, he had been heard by the demons below.

"DEKU! QUIT LYING!" shouted Bakugou, likely waking up several people throughout the castle.

"LET THE PRINCE SPEAK!" Mitsuki screeched back. The voices of several servants could be heard yelling at Mitsuki and Bakugou to be quiet, only to be fired back by their screaming. Aizawa quickly ushered them away from the window.

"That's enough human idiocy for one day. Bed now."

Todoroki was taken to his room and managed to smile at Midoriya before Aizawa bowed his head and shut his door. Aizawa wordlessly gestured for Midoriya to follow him so he could take him back to his room, making sure to shut and secure the door once they were inside.

"That prince charming you all right?" he asked, not bothering to sound formal to his ex-student. Midoriya blushed. He was pretty charmed for the first day. Aizawa rolled his eyes.

"Well, nothing I can do unless he takes you out for a swim in the ocean, which you will say no to," he added with a glare. Midoriya gulped and nodded. His teacher sighed, a migraine beginning to set in.

"I'm not gonna convince you with what you should or shouldn't do. You'll get that enough from Nighteye and All Might. Just use protection." Midoriya choked on air, sputtering incoherently in denial. Aizawa shook his head and turned towards the door, looking over his shoulder at him as he reached for the handle.

"Oh, and try to keep your knights on a tighter leash. I don't want to die from embarrassment just yet." Thinking of his friends trying to hold Bakugou down, Midoriya had to laugh. Wishing his teacher good night, Midoriya stripped and put on his pajamas, flopping onto the bed and sighing in relief.

What a day it had been and it was only day one. It was nice to be alone and gather his thoughts without an advisor in his ear, knights on his back and a handsome prince trying to win his heart. Midoriya was used to being called cute, but that was always said by an older woman and his female friends. It was different to have someone think he's cute and want something more than a friendship. What was more overwhelming was the sincerity in Todoroki's actions and words. He seemed completely enamored with him just as much as Enji was with Rei and Hawks with Fuyumi. Plenty of sleep was needed before tomorrow. Midoriya squealed as he thought about the possibilities. He hoped Todoroki was into hot messes because he might turn into one.

Sleep did not come as quickly as Shouto would like. Being near his mate in such nakedness made him feel restless and wrought with desire. The cold water initially felt in the springs did not last as much as he would've wanted. Laying down on the warm, welcoming bed, all Shouto could think about was having his mate lying beside him. He'd gaze at him with those gorgeous eyes and slowly open up Todoroki's robes until he was bare. He'd seen that cute mouth open before. Now he was imagining Izuku licking his lips before taking Todoroki's cock into his mouth. Taking a deep breath, Shouto trailed his right hand deep into his pants to grab his aching cock. With the prince in mind, Shouto let his hand act in place of where he wanted Izuku's mouth or ass to be.

* * *

The next morning, the mers gathered in Enji's suite for a morning consult. Shouto could say that beds on land were addicting and he didn't want to get up, but Dabi reminded him that every second awake was a second closer to Izuku. He was out of bed before Dabi could finish teasing him. Last night was a great moment to bond a little, but he wanted to use every minute he had to show Izuku that he could fall in love with him like he had.

Enji leaned his back against the sofa he and Rei shared, acknowledging his children with a nod as they filed in.

"We're only staying for a week. I can't be away from the palace too long or else it'll implode. Once this festival is over, most of us will return home. Touya, Fuyumi and Hawks are staying. Shouto, make sure the prince can trust you soon. The royal wedding is approaching and he needs to convince All Might that he can go. He should see what it's like to be married in the sea among the treasures of the ocean. Don't embarrass the Todoroki name in this courtship conquest." Like Shouto meant to do that. The youngest son rolled his eyes.

"...fine." Enji nodded at his answer, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you need more treasures, nag Touya or Hawks to get it. Otherwise, you will get treasures on land. There's more sentimental values if you get it on land, but we all know how superior ocean jewels are." There was a nod in agreement from everyone. Rei smiled at her son. She loved land, despite Enji's disgust. His mer pride refused to allow him to see land as equally beautiful to the sea. The sea was bountiful and their cities were vast and matched Musutafu in terms of structure and architecture. Land had crisp, warm air and earthy nature compared to Endeavor's water and fire. She waved a little to get Shouto to look at her.

"Enjoy the surface, Shouto. Land is full of amazing sights to see and it feels special to share it with someone. You should truly embrace this time." Shouto's eyes softened. He wanted to share every moment he had left with Izuku. Every second of his life.

"Of course, okaa-san."

The group headed down to eat breakfast with All Might, the king and queen steps ahead so the others could talk. Hawks had his arms behind his head as he yawned.

"Sleep was great last night! Gotta love their beds. They're not as squishy as our mattresses at home." Natsuo grinned.

"Yeah! I fell asleep quickly here. Being on land is like a vacation. Sleeping as a human is a great experience. No wonder some humans can sleep for ten hours. I sure did." Fuyumi yawned delicately, leaning on Hawks. She was pretty sluggish. At home, she was an early riser and would wake all of her brothers at six in the morning. To see her so sleepy was a surprise. Natsuo poked her shoulder.

"Not enough sleep, onee-chan? You two went to your rooms the same time I did." She was too sleepy to hear him. Hawks grinned devilishly.

"We didn't sleep right away." His cocky smile gave him away. It took them one second to figure it out and start groaning in disgust. Hawks held his hands up in defense.

"Having sex as humans is a whole other experience. I don't mind exploring that for a while." Dabi raised a brow.

"Are you seriously going to spend the rest of your time as humans having sex?" Hawks winked at him.

"Don't judge me. You'd do the same if Toga were up here." That wasn't the point even if it were true. Dabi rolled his eyes.

"Hawks, no one wants to hear that their sister's having sex. It's disgusting. You're disgusting. In my head, Fuyumi is pure. It's staying that way in my head." Shouto was disgusted too, but he was also envious. Last night, he had imagined Midoriya in bed with him and showing him how humans consummate their relationships, making him hard and keeping him awake. It wasn't long until he figured out how to masturbate as a human, which wasn't too different than a mer. Mers had slits down the front of their tails, the reproductive parts the same structure as humans. Mers could easily hide their arousal and mermen could reveal their cocks to their lovers in private. As a human, there was less room to hide.

He hoped the day would come that he could take Midoriya to the sea and mate him as a mer. Every day counted. He hoped to advance their relationship during the festival. He had no problem taking that brutish knight down if he tried to interrupt them again.

* * *

All Might rose as the mers entered the dining room, smiling in welcome alongside Midoriya. Nighteye lingered at the entrance, staring quietly at the mers. Feeling eyes on him, Dabi glanced over and smirked at him. Humans like Nighteye were so much fun to mess with. He was daring him to try something. Nighteye was already on the shitlist for his little comments the other day and Dabi could use a little excuse to get into a fight. Unbothered, Nighteye's eyes flicked over to All Might and bowed to his king before leaving. He wanted Midoriya to find himself a queen to be by his side as he ruled Yuuei, anybody but a Todoroki.

Breakfast continued like normal, but Midoriya was nervous and could barely pick up his fork. What if Todoroki thought his table manners were atrocious? That wasn't a problem yesterday, but he felt more conscious about his actions than ever.

Todoroki felt bothered that Midoriya wasn't eating. The food was really good and he intended on enjoying it with him, but seeing Midoriya upset made the food taste like ash. Dipping his spoon into the soup in front of him, Todoroki held it up to Midoriya. The prince blinked, staring up the spoon to the arm holding it. Shouto smiled.

"You haven't been eating. I just thought I'd help. Open for me?" It was said so innocently. Midoriya's jaw dropped in surprise, inviting the spoon into his mouth. Todoroki wasn't innocent. It was the only situation he could be excused for saying such a thing. Of course his mind went to one day asking Midoriya to open his mouth and suck his dick. Midoriya let Todoroki continue to feed him, growing more comfortable as time passed. Wanting to do something for him, Midoriya offered him a piece of freshly baked bread. Blood rushed to his cheeks when Todoroki ate it from his fingers, deliberately brushing his lips against his fingers. Playing innocent, Toroki smiled at him like he had no idea what he had just done and continued with eating like nothing happened. With the same spoon he used to feed Midoriya, he stared right at him and fed himself a spoonful of soup. Midoriya screamed internally.s

After, Midoriya finished his breakfast at break-neck speed to avoid any more awkward interactions at the table. All Might excused him with a grin before continuing his conversation with an awe-struck Hawks and disgusted Endeavor.

Midoriya rose and skipped out of the room, passing through the hallways where he'd usually see the training courtyard for the knights.

"Deku-kun! Deku-kun!" Midoriya perked up at Uraraka's voice, spotting the young witch trying to wave him over from the window. She and the knights were in the courtyard where they wouldn't be disturbing anyone. Midoriya grinned and headed outside for them.

Uraraka was grinning as he joined them outside. She looked like she didn't get much sleep last night, evidence by her slightly crazed eyes and determined pink aura.

"Look what I made!" she sang, swinging her bag from her side to the front so she could dig through it. Midoriya looked questioningly at Iida, who firmly shook his head that he didn't know what she was up to. It didn't seem like he had the courage to ask either. It didn't take long for her head to suddenly snap up in a weird angle, jolting the boys in fear.

"Cha-chang!" Ochako squealed, revealing the vial she had in her bag. The small vial was filled with a light blue liquid that sparkled in the sunlight. Izuku blinked. It wasn't uncommon for her to show them potions she made, ranging from ones they couldn't use to energy boosters. She giggled at his confusion.

"Deku-kun! I made some potions to help protect you just in case the prince is thinking about dragging you into the sea! Now Todoroki-ouji seems plenty nice and all, but if you ever have doubts, take a sip! I also have a potion to dispel it, if you ever want to reverse the effect." Midoriya reached out to take it, stopping suddenly when a strange guilt paralyzed him. It felt right in his head to drink it just in case Todoroki tried to push for more than what he was comfortable with, but he didn't feel any need to do so. In his heart, Todoroki was doing his best to keep his courting within reason on human terms. Wouldn't it feel like a slap in the face if he drank the potion without getting to know the prince more? It could break his heart.

Ochako screeched when the vial was stolen from her hand and inadvertently shoved aside. Before anyone could react, Midoriya was quickly tackled to the ground, Bakugou on top and holding the vial in hand like it was poison. He looked crazed and too much like a villain.

"Open fucking wide, Deku." Izuku struggled against the hand pinning him.

"What are you doing?!" he screeched. Unbeknownst to the group, a familiar mer froze at his panicked voice. Bakugou growled, shaking Midoriya with his fist.

"DO I GET A FUCKING THANK YOU FOR SAVING YOUR VIRGINITY LAST NIGHT?! ANY MORE DOPEY SMILES TO HIM AND YOUR ASS WOULD'VE BEEN PROPPED UP! NOW DRINK SO YOUR DUMB ASS DOESN'T GET KIDNAPPED!" Bakugou probably wanted to rub it in Todoroki's face that he couldn't simply steal Midoriya away. Fish bitch was on their turf now and they were gonna play it to their advantage. Iida chopped the air angrily.

"Bakugou-kun! Get off the prince!" Said blonde glared at his leader.

"Not until he drinks up!" The others erupted into arguing with him while he was shouting back. Midoriya was left to struggle underneath, slowly feeling panicked with everyone crowded around him. They were too close, so close that it felt like he couldn't breathe. Bakugou pinning him felt like more air was being pushed out of his lungs. A cool voice cut through all of the arguing, the temperature around them instantly chilling.

 ** _"Get off of him."_** When everyone looked up, they noticed that frost was covering their clothes. Todoroki stood before them with a solid glare directed right at Bakugou. Icicles were rising from the prince's feet. Kirishima cursed under his breath.

"Oh shit." It was what everyone was thinking. Bakugou countered his glare with a fiery one.

"What are you looking at, Half-and-half? This isn't any of your business! This is between us humans!" Shouto's eyes narrowed into slits. Tapping his foot to the ground, an icy surge was sent scattering on the ground towards Bakugou. It managed to avoid Midoriya, climbing up Bakugou's skin and clenching like a fist.

"You're on top of my mate. That makes it my business. Get off or lose an arm to frostbite. Choose." As he spoke, ice was covering Bakugou's arm pinning Izuku. Bakugou growled, ready to teach fish prince a lesson before Izuku grabbed his other arm holding the vial.

"Kacchan, I order you to get off." Izuku spoke with the authority of a prince, leaving no room to argue. It was for Bakugou's own good, otherwise he'd be against a mer and Todoroki was more than capable of tearing his throat out with his teeth. The blonde grumbled and released the prince. The ice was quickly melted away as if it were never there, the atmosphere as warm as a summer day while Midoriya was scooped off the ground and onto his feet by Todoroki. Instantly, relief flushed over the human prince now that he could freely breathe again. His tense muscles relaxed to Todoroki's touch. The bottle was somehow snatched from Bakugou's hold into the mer's, much to Bakugou's surprise and annoyance.

"When the fuck did he-?!" He was promptly ignored as Todoroki held the bottle out to Midoriya with a gentle smile on his face.

"Here." Midoriya blinked, feeling guilty and confused. Would he hurt Todoroki's feelings if he knew what this potion was for?"

"O-oh. This is-" Todoroki's easy smile stopped him.

"I know what it is. Some mers use it to banish rivals out of the ocean and force them to dry out until they agree to stop pursuing their mates. Generally, we don't use it because it's not as direct as a head-to-head battle. Flashy shows of power and dominance are more appealing to us. I'm assuming this was made to protect you from me in case I think about kidnapping you." He said it so nonchalantly that it was hard to decipher whether or not he was offended. Ochako gulped. If he knew she made it, he could easily charge her for disturbing courtship rituals and King Enji wouldn't mind having her executed. Midoriya didn't want that to happen.

"W-well..." Millions of excuses ran through his head over what to say, but Todoroki didn't seem bothered.

"I understand. My customs are still very foreign to humans, so I can see why you'd be alarmed. However, I'm confident that you will never have to use this. It's not my intention to make you fear me. Mers never want their mates to fear them. We keep our mates safe and pamper them for the rest of their lives. I have already given my promise to court you properly in both mer and human traditions. I wish for you to love me as much as I yearn for you." Uraraka's heart couldn't take how adorable this was. Midoriya's eyes widened and he looked away shyly with a blush flaring his cheeks. Todoroki smiled to himself. He succeeded in getting that cute blush on his cheeks again. Even when they married and Midoriya was carrying their babies, Todoroki hoped that he would never stop blushing like that. And sex...he hoped that this adorable side persisted in bed. It would be a bonus if Midoriya turned out to be enthusiastic and eager to have Todoroki inside him.

"I'm going over there to throw up," came Bakugou's deadpan voice. Blinking, the princes looked up and saw Bakugou about face and march away to hurl in peace. Iida followed him with steam coming out of his ears.

"Bakugou-kun! Your vulgar mouth needs to exercise restraint!" Bakugou grumbled something and left the courtyard.

Kirishima laughed sheepishly, Tokoyami shaking his head in disapproval. The redhead bowed to Todoroki.

"Our apologies about Bakugou! His actions seem offensive, but it's because he feels strongly that they yield the best results." Tokoyami didn't keep his mouth shut.

"He's a demon who thinks he's doing what's best for the current situation and won't apologize over their consequences if the good outweighs the bad he's done." Midoriya laughed nervously, remembering what Aizawa said about keeping embarrassment to a minimum.

"Most of the time, Bakugou means well, even if he says he doesn't. He's pretty decent." Uraraka snorted.

"Most of the time he doesn't hide how much he hates all of us. Especially you, Deku-kun." Todoroki's temper flared. Be too affectionate with his mate and he'd kill you. Dare to cross his mate and Todoroki would kill you. It was a delicate balance and any who disturbed that balance would have to choose being burned or freezing to death. He really didn't like Bakugou much, just as he expected. He didn't know whether or not he'd kill him or the humans who pushed him off the ship the night he'd met Midoriya first.

Kirishima elbowed Uraraka sharply, quickly gesturing at Todoroki. She gulped again, hoping she hadn't accidentally signed Bakugou's death warrant. Catching on quickly, Midoriya boldly grabbed his hand and smiled at him.

"Todoroki-kun, shall we explore the city some more? Maybe we can check on your friend!" Oh right, Momo. He felt a little bad that he just forgot about her since they came. _'But it's her fault for being selfish and wanting to find her mate first instead of helping me and putting us in boxes,'_ he thought childishly.

At least he'd be with his mate now. He smiled encouragingly and gently took Midoriya's hand into his own.

"I'd like that."

* * *

Momo had taken up lodgings at the local inn closest to the seaside. It was closer to Jirou's post, so any time they could run into each other could be deemed a coincidence. She spent the night before at Tsuyu's at her friend's insistence, then set off to find a room of her own to be less imposing to Tsuyu and her family.

"Tsuyu-chan, thank you for speaking to the innkeeper about giving me a place to stay. I hope the pearls I brought were enough for payment." Momo wiped sweat off her brow as she finished hoisting her luggage into the small closet. Tsuyu was sitting on the chair provided with the small desk in the room.

"They were, but the innkeeper only wants trustworthy clientele that won't harm others or attract trouble. Anyone who wants to stay longer than five nights must have good words from a local." Tsuyu's kind track record along with family ties to the innkeeper proved advantageous. Momo shot a smile over her shoulder before opening her luggage. She had brought plenty of clothes along with ingredients she had taken in order to make her potions. It probably was wise to stay away from potion-making in her room. She wasn't about to sour the reference Tsuyu gave her. That meant she had to find a potion brewery where she could work in peace. Tsuyu knew what she wanted immediately.

"My friend Ochako-chan, the witch you met, does all of her training and brewing in her master's shop. Many young witches and wizards work there. You can rent a space and cauldron with them and can read magic books there if you need." Momo smiled, relieved that she had a friend and guide.

"Thank you. I should probably do that soon so I can start preparations. And maybe meet my mate and get to know her more." Her cheeks grew rosy at the thought, giggling softly to herself before grabbing the money she needed. Tsuyu looked on with minimal worry. Momo needed to court Jirou like a human. While she had faith in her to remain civil, she knew what Momo was capable of. But she couldn't match to Shouto. He didn't show it much, but the prince had a temper that could match his father's. She was worried that he will eventually clash with Bakugou and the worry had a high percentage of coming true.

"Tsuyu! Are you here?" called a familiar voice from outside the window. Both girls visibly flinched at the volume. Tsuyu jumped to her feet and padded over to the window, opening it and looking out from the second floor to the ground below. She smiled at the sight before her.

"Kaminari-kun, Jirou-chan! Good morning!" Kaminari and Jirou were dressed in their civilian clothes with the lightest armor they had. The trained soldiers in them were more comfortable having some protection with them rather than none. Kaminari grinned.

"Mornin'! We stopped by your place earlier, but your little brother said you'd be here instead. Me and Jirou were about to check out the city and see if they need any extra hands in prepping for the festival. Wanna come with?" he called up. Momo had come to the window the second she heard her mate's name. Warmth spread across her cheeks when she met her gaze. She kept her face schooled, but she was beyond ecstatic that she was here.

Jirou looked up when she saw the mermaid, then suddenly got cold feet and quickly looked away. It was like having a crush on someone and hiding behind a tree. The mermaid was the beautiful classmate and she was probably the most beautiful person she'd ever met. Still, there was also a sense of fear she felt since it was a mermaid. Mermen were notorious for the violent behavior and possessive attitudes, but mermaids were the exact same way. The males were more likely to use their quirks against rivals, but females would tear hair and throats out with their teeth and claws.

Was she conceited for thinking that maybe this mermaid had a crush on her? Jirou was so plain for a girl. Then again, Midoriya wasn't exactly the hottest teen in Yuuei, but he had a good-looking prince that had desires to bed Midoriya the same day they met again. She didn't know whether or not she wanted to pursue this possibility further, but a part of her was tempted to fall into the embrace of a lovely mermaid. She shook her head and forced herself to focus on the conversation at hand in order to keep her mind off Momo.

Momo was completely entranced by the sight of Jirou, sighing dreamily from the window. She looked so lovely and shy. The only thing ruining the view was the yellow bug next to her. She was about to drown the chatty blonde a few days ago and she still had itches to do so if he refused to distance himself from Jirou's side. She promised herself that she'd be more civil, but the mermaid in her yearned to get rid of unnecessary obstacles.

She was pulled out of her stupor by Tsuyu, who was taking her hand and leading her out of the room.

"Let's go check out festival preparations! As our guest, you don't have to do a thing. Just watch us get ready for one of the best festivals of the year." Tsuyu was smiling proudly and pulling her along. Momo smiled politely.

"I'd love to help! Your kingdom has been so welcoming that it would be a crime if I didn't give back." She also needed to run a few errands. Two weeks, she told herself, two weeks and she could make potions for her and her mate to change into mers. She couldn't wait to show her the world there was beneath the sea.

The group ran into each other in the middle of the city, Midoriya bowing his head to Momo.

"Good afternoon, Yaoyorozu-san. My name is Midoriya Izuku." Momo's eyes flicked to Todoroki, who was glowing at seeing his mate act so cute. She could also tell he was a little bit jealous with Midoriya showing this cute side to others. She didn't want to be on the receiving end of the prince's wrath. Momo bowed politely.

"You may call me 'Momo,' Midoriya-ouji. I can't wait to see this festival," she added, deflecting Midoriya's attempt at protesting her request. "Merfolk have heard of grand festivals humans hold. Some of us leave the ocean to participate. I haven't because of my witch studies. I heard this one is mainly for couples. I'm afraid I'd stick out as a sore thumb if I go by myself."

She glanced over at Jirou, hoping the knight would speak up and offer to be her partner for the night.

And for life.

Midoriya wanted everyone to feel welcome and was beaming sunlight.

"We should all go as one huge group! A festival is always fun with more friends. That way we can all share the boats and no one can be alone." Mers had no use for boats because being out of water was too drying. Momo blinked.

"Boats?" The humans nodded and looked at Tsuyu to explain to them.

"When the fireflies are about to all emerge from the lake, everyone gets into boats and look at them up close. It's the best part of the festival. A lot of boats will be for two people to share, since it's about romance and all." Momo and Shouto glanced at each other, sharing the same thoughts. This festival had to be played to their advantage. They could prove to their mates that no human could ever give to them what they could.

More importantly, they had to get a boat to share with just their mates.

* * *

Nighteye watched from a window at the civilians diligently preparing for the festival. Of all the times for this situation to come, during arguably one of the most romantic festivals they had. He felt a presence behind him and turned to see All Might, quickly dropping into a bow. All Might grabbed his shoulder.

"What concerns you, Nighteye-kun? There's a wonderful festival tonight and you should enjoy it." The advisor tensed, looking around to make sure none of the mers were lurking around. When the guards nodded to him, he turned his attention back to the king.

"Yagi-ō-sama, I do want Midoriya-ouji to marry one day. He should be happy. I didn't believe in him at first because no one will ever be able to take your mantle, but he can while respecting the will and history of our kings and queens. He is the hope of our kingdom and I would be thrilled to see him take someone by his side. But to give him to another kingdom could potentially harm the future to ours. We'd be foolish to allow Endeavor to take him simply because their prince is in love." All Might's expression hadn't changed, but his voice was deeper.

"Did you use Foresight again?" he asked, watching as Nighteye cast his eyes downward.

"I have." It was a curt response that surprised All Might. It wasn't like him to not talk about them in length not prompted.

"And you saw...?" he inquired, gently nudging him. Nighteye grimaced.

"They both looked happy. I saw pure love. It's something anyone would long to have. But I still couldn't see if they were human or not. I only saw the smiles on their faces." All Might exhaled in relief.

"Considering we're dealing with mers, I'm more concerned with whether or not Midoriya-shounen is happy." Nighteye too, but he couldn't be put at ease by his vision like All Might.

"But what about the kingdom? Will Midoriya-ouji honor his duty or abandon it for another? How are we to convince him to make the right choice?" he asked, keeping his voice leveled so he wouldn't shout. All Might thought of Queen Nana and the lines of rulers before him that harnessed One for All.

"True kings and queens don't make decisions that were pushed by others. We make them on our own volition. If I do not trust Midoriya-shounen with that choice, then I failed as a king to choose the proper prince."

* * *

All Might sent a knight to fetch Midoriya, who was leaving a dejected Todoroki with his friends. Iida quickly guided him to help with stoking a fire. Enraged at his lost chance with enjoying the day with his mate, Todoroki burned the fires higher and hotter than the stoves they were in. Behind him, Bakugou pointed and laughed at him, but Kirishima launched himself onto him so that the prince wouldn't see and turn his wrath on them. Tsuyu and Momo sighed in defeat. They needed Midoriya back as soon as possible.

Midoriya entered the small room where All Might was waiting, dipping into a bow. All Might gestured for him to look up.

"How has the day been so far, Midoriya-shounen? I'm afraid we couldn't talk much during breakfast considering the mers were right beside us." Enji didn't admit it, but it was obvious he would blow up at any indication that his people's behavior were looked down upon by humans. Midoriya's lips quirked into a smile.

"I'd like to get to know him more. He hasn't been overbearing with me, if that's a plus." Maybe he had gotten used to Todoroki's doting behavior. It was nice to be spoiled. All Might laughed and nodded.

"Of course. However, you should be very wary of giving Todoroki-shounen too much affection in thanks." His voice was a little lower than normal, his way of subtly warning Midoriya. The prince sighed. He hadn't really asked All Might about his opinion and he valued it. All Might was basically a father to him and Midoriya was concerned about upsetting him or his mother.

"All Might, would it upset you if I do fall in love with Todoroki-ouji?" All Might didn't even blink, straightening his back with a grin.

"No, not at all. Love is something we want in life. Sometimes, it's what we need. I can't tell you the right or wrong person for you. That is something you come into on your own. If you were just an ordinary boy, many would be envious. Lots of young people want to have a prince fall in love with him. Being a prince yourself, it's complicated because you have duties and responsibilities." Midoriya went to the nearest wall and smacked his head against it, making the king wince at his protégé's behavior. Like always, he overthinks and causes himself pain.

"I don't know if the decision I'll make is what I want or if it's what I should do as the prince." He glanced up when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder, looking up to see All Might's warm smile.

"You're bright, Midoriya-shounen. That's why I chose you as my successor." "I won't lie to you, I'd much prefer if you two resided here and ruled Yuuei together. We are allies with Endeavor, but to hand our Crown Princes over could cause an upset. At this moment, I want you to be a regular boy who falls in love. We can get that nasty business sorted out in the future." He clapped a hand on Midoriya's shoulder, who didn't budge at the rough contact. A distinct sign that he was physically strong compared to the scrawny boy he met years ago.

 _"_ Festivals like these are to help people find or cement their love for one another. Maybe it will help you as well, Midoriya-shounen. I want the best for this country, but I want you to be happy as well. I'm sure your mother agrees with me." Excused, Midoriya walked away with more bounce in his step, making All Might smile. He shouldered a lot of responsibility on his prince. He still wanted him to experience things normal teenagers should have.

* * *

By nightfall, the massive lake was populated by festival goers and lit by torches to see around them. All Might had a tent prepped for him so he could overlook the festival and his people. Children and teenagers were running around and playing games without a care in the world. Loud music was played and lots of alcohol was passed around to adults from the taverns hoping to make good money for the night.

Enji and his family joined the king in the tent, but nothing seemed to make the Sea King care about the festivities. Mer festivals were grand too. Why such a fuss over something like this? But it made Rei happy and he promised her anything. He glanced over where Shouto, Midoriya and their friends were at a separate tent. This festival was supposed to be romantic. Shouto better not screw it up. He was sure he was very clear when Shouto was younger about how important a mate was. If you want to be eternally happy, find your mate, pamper and pleasure them and they will give you their everything. It was give and take. This is why he was irritated with human customs. Even if they were in love, there was a dance around their emotions that could take years before they agree to marriage.

He scoffed. Humans and their indecisiveness. It was obvious Shouto would love the prince and he was successful in merfolk customs. What could be his detriment was agreeing to pursue this romance the way humans do. This night could accelerate this romance or destroy it. Chances are Shouto would fall back to his merman instincts and solidify the relationship the way it should be done.

Midoriya absently played with his pearl necklace as he watched Kirishima and Kaminari take turns throwing darts at a dartboard. He should think about giving Todoroki-kun a gift in return. He wished he was as strong as him or All Might so he could swim through the Musutafu Maelstrom. Buying a gift was fine, but acquiring it had more sentiment. Maybe he could ask his mom for some advice.

Shouto eyed Izuku fondly. He hadn't touched the potion since he gave it back, which was a great sign so far. In terms of affection, Midoriya was quite shy with showing any and kept it as neutral as possible. Shouto had to hold himself back from showering as much as he wanted onto him. He wanted Izuku to want it as much as he did. Once he did, Shouto wouldn't hold back with the endless doting.

The two made eye contact when Izuku looked up, quickly looking away with a squeak when he saw gray and blue eyes on him. Shouto blinked.

"Do I offend you by staring?" he asked innocently, though he was teasing. Izuku shook his head wildly.

"N-no! I'm just...a mess," he muttered. Shouto chuckled, the warm sound reaching Izuku's ears.

"I think you're cute, don't worry." He laughed more when Izuku skipped towards the nearest mug of water and downed it desperately.

Momo approached her prince, sighing disappointedly. "I hope you're doing well here. I agreed to this group outing because it'd be too bold to ask my mate to come with me, but it's quite hard to get her to talk to me with so many friends."

Todoroki felt sympathetic. It wasn't like Momo and her mate could coincidentally talk without her knowing she was actively seeking her out.

"We still have the boats. Use that as an excuse. Don't give up." She pouted.

"I won't. But it's hard. I can always try again tomorrow, but I want to establish something soon." She bowed her head and left to talk to Ochako, watching Jirou chat away with Kouda. Bakugou stomped over to Todoroki next, who suddenly felt a migraine creeping up his head. They growled at each other.

"Don't try anything funny tonight, fish bitch," Bakugou hissed quietly. Todoroki raised a brow.

"The only thing that's funny is you thinking you can order me around. You should be lucky I agreed to be cordial during my stay here. Had this been at sea, there would be no trace of your body once the sharks finish feeding on your corpse." Bakugou twitched, his blood boiling under his skin.

"You think that just because you're a prince you can threaten me?" Todoroki's eyes were sharp.

"It's not that I'm a prince. It's because you're too weak to keep me away from Midoriya." His eyes flashed dangerously, just enough for Bakugou to flinch internally. "Do you want him?"

Nausea reared up high and fast enough that he almost puked. The mere thought of any intimacy with the fucking nerd disgusted him. Midoriya was barely a friend. He was just...the fucking nerd!

"I'd rather clean out the stables than be with that nerd! Who wants to be with that dork when I've got a fucking fine ass in my bed every night?!" Kirishima finished throwing his dart and heard Katsuki's remarks at the last minute. He pouted when he jogged up to them.

"Man, thanks for the compliment, but aren't I more than a fine ass? I mean, I know have one." Bakugou pinked up and looked down in embarrassment.

"...yeah, I guess..." Now Todoroki felt nauseous. He felt his spirits lift when Izuku returned, his cheeks back to their normal skin tone opposed to rosy red. Todoroki's heart soared when Midoriya laced their fingers together. Even the human prince was surprised at himself, but he kept his voice clear.

"I-I-I al-also wanna p-putting effort in this..." He reddened further when Todoroki chuckled and grasped his hand. Kirishima gently pushed Bakugou away from them, who was gesturing rudely at Todoroki and mouthing threats, but was ignored.

Once Kirishima brought him to Iida, he sighed at his boyfriend.

"Katsuki, we can relax for tonight. This place is crawling with the elite and other knights. Todoroki hasn't done anything out of turn with Midoriya." Iida nodded and handed them some food.

"I say we relax as well. He would not be so foolish as to try anything among others who can overpower him. We can continue to be diligent, but not as parasitic." Bakugou snorted and snagged a bite out of his dinner.

"As long as Deku doesn't embarrass himself." That was probably bound to happen anyway.

* * *

During the group's third game of darts, they were stopped when Present Mic called for everyone's attention. The festival went silent and watched as All Might emerged from his tent.

"Good evening! As we reach the end of a fine summer once again, we welcome the next season with the fireflies alighting the night with their gentle glow. While some may miss the intense warmth of the sun, we all must look forward to a great harvest from our fields. As your king, I ask that each and every one of you embrace every tomorrow of the season with the greatest smile and welcoming heart. ALTOGETHER!" His fist raised into the air, accompanied by everyone around.

"PLUS ULTRA!" Midoriya and his friends were the loudest. He looked next to him and saw that Todoroki followed along with a smile.

Behind All Might, the merfolk were enthusiastically calling out except for Endeavor, who grumbled and only moved his arm when Rei hoisted it up. All Might laughed loudly and pointed his index finger to the sky.

"Everyone, gather to the boats!" Guided by the elite, the people were neatly led to the boats and climbing aboard. Some couples waited to get their own boats while others were hurrying to drag their homemade boats from the dirt to the docks.

Midoriya and Todoroki were approached by Cementoss, who was going to be escorting them to a private boat for two. Bakugou throw his plate onto a nearby table. Fuck relaxing. If they let their guard down, Deku would get his ass eaten and not even know it.

"They're going too! After them! And get the boat that can fit all of us!" He grabbed onto Kirishima and Kaminari before taking off towards the lake.

Momo stayed close to Jirou as the group were taken to the lake by another elite. They would need a big boat for the group even though Midoriya and Todoroki went on their own and Bakugou took Kirishima, Kaminari, Iida and Tokoyami. Mineta had been swept up somehow by the group and off they went. To the dismay of the remaining group, the larger boats for families had been taken. Jirou looked crestfallen.

"Damn. I guess we took too long to get here." The others looked pretty bummed too. There was no way in hell Momo was letting her chance get away so easily. She had eaten plenty today and yesterday thanks to her curiosity to eat everything humans made. She turned her back to the shore and knelt down.

"Please make room! I'm going to make us a boat!" She was glad she was curious about human creations and read about them. The other boats were made from wood, which she couldn't reproduce, but sturdy trading vessels were made of metal. In a bright light, a boat bow emerged from her back and tore through her shirt. The rest of the boat practically popped out of her back and smacked the water, surprising the group. Wiping sweat off her brow, she paused for a minute to get her breath back and make herself a new shirt while the others cheered for her. She gasped a little when a warm cloak wrapped around her. Looking up, she saw Jirou handing her bread and adjusting the cloak now on Momo's back. She cast her eyes downward shyly.

"Tsuyu told me about your quirk. I think it's amazing." Momo wanted to cry in happiness. Her mate complimented her! She made the perfect first impression! Wrapping her cloak around herself, she smiled brilliantly.

"Thank you! Please come aboard the boat. I would love to enjoy the fireflies!" With you, she wanted to add. It was still too early for bold proclamations like that. Maybe tomorrow. Jirou offered her a small smile before following her onto the boat.

While the other couples were rowing the boats leisurely and enjoying the company of their love, Bakugou and his boat were fiercely treading water across the lake.

"Row faster, you fuckers!" he shouted, his screaming out-of-place to the romantic music played by the musicians' boat. Mineta tearfully rowed like his life depended on it. He wasn't like the other boys who were taking long, easy strokes. He had a quarter of the muscle mass Kaminari had.

"How'd I get pulled into this?!" he whined, squeaking when Bakugou's oar rose out of the water to smack his head.

"Either row or talk, and you better pick rowing!" Tokoyami sighed, keeping pace with them.

"Are we knights, Iida? I feel like a second-rate stalker." Iida made a disgusted sound and continued to row. He had his duties to protect Midoriya, but he was mainly rowing to get their group far away from others seeing this embarrassing behavior.

Shouto took the oars and gently rowed them out into the lake, watching adoringly as Izuku awed at the sight. The fireflies all hadn't come out yet, but some were glowing and drifting in the air lazily.

"Do you have summer festivals like this, Todoroki-kun?" Izuku asked, looking over at the prince. Todoroki stared out into the distance, reminiscing on home.

"The coral near the kingdom are vibrant in color during the last few weeks of summer. They begin to glow in the moonlight only during that time. Our legends say that the glow represents the loved ones who passed away. To honor them, merfolk grow special plants underwater that glow when we use our quirks on them. We let go of the plants and float them up to the surface. The tides slowly push them further and further out into the ocean and my people believe that the messages eventually are delivered to the afterlife. The nutrients from the plants return to the ocean, so it's a nice tradition to have." The kingdom would be glowing with color during the final days of summer. His family would release the plants in memory of great grandparents and other family members who came before them.

Izuku excitedly leaned closer to him.

"It sounds amazing!" He briefly looked regretful, adorable face twisting into guilt. "I'm sorry I took you away from that."

Todoroki immediately shook his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I miss out on the festival to spend this one with you. We always have next year. Maybe you would like to come to ours."

He looked up, hope brimming in his chest. To his joy, Izuku gave him another beautiful smile.

"If me going with you makes you happy, then yes!" Delighted, Todoroki leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to Midoriya's cheek. A kiss would be too hasty and Todoroki didn't want to scare him. He just wanted Midoriya to know that he appreciated him. Midoriya's eyes widened, the rest of his body reeling in warmth including where Todoroki kissed him. Luckily he wasn't left to lament on it further. Todoroki glanced up and chuckled.

"Look." Midoriya quickly pulled himself together and looked around, gasping as thousands of fireflies took to the skies from their nests.

"Ah! The fireflies!" The boat rocked a bit when Midoriya moved to look at the insects clearly. Their lights surrounded the boats as couples cheered for their arrival. A proposal could be heard nearby from an elderly couple reliving their engagement fifty years ago. When Midoriya looked over, the grandchildren were kneeling on one knee for their grandfather who couldn't any longer.

A younger couple nearby were enjoying themselves on another successful date. One pair were still shy with one another, just like Midoriya and Todoroki. Izuku looked over at Shouto, who was basking in the sight of the fireflies around them.

"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME!" they heard Bakugou shout. Dozens of feet away from them, they saw Bakugou trying to shoo away the fireflies with his oar. He needed the perfect view and position to take down the mershit if he decided the mood was romantic enough for plucking Deku's virginity. Mineta and Kaminari fell victim to Bakugou's oar and fell into the water with an audible splash. Iida was shouting at him to stop looking embarrassing and Kirishima managed to catch a firefly and show Tokoyami.

From All Might's enormous boat with several elite and the royal family, strands of denim came flying at Bakugou and bound him with the oar attached. Aizawa scoffed.

"Thanks, Hakamata." Best Jeanist sighed.

"Of course. Our own knights are causing more trouble than the mers, it seems. Should we condemn him to the laundry room until they leave?" Aizawa was way ahead of him.

"Absolutely not. His mother works there and they'll think our laundry room is the next gate to Hell." Bakugou writhed against his restraints, yelling more profanities as Iida pushed him over and had him lying in the hull. "Could you-?"

Bakugou was silenced when his mouth was covered with string. "Thanks."

* * *

Rei sighed as the swarm of fireflies whirled around their boat. She grasped Enji's hand tightly, the merman's face barely showing a smile.

"What a lovely sight. And look! It seems like our princes are getting along!" Enji glanced over, smirking when he saw the closeness of the two. He bumped All Might's shoulder with his fist.

"Look, All Might. Look at the gentleness my son shows your prince. That is only directed to our mates. Do you still doubt the feelings my son has?" All Might stood his ground and kept firm, knowing only Enji could take this tone without flinching.

"Again, Midoriya-shounen must reciprocate his feelings. I don't doubt Todoroki-shounen's sincerity." Full of pride, Enji scoffed.

"Heh, he will. It's only a matter of time. When the time comes, I'll be sure to personally hand you the invitation to their wedding in the sea." And All Might will now the true bond mers had with one another. Rei gently tapped her hand against his bulging bicep.

"Enji-san, please don't antagonize All Might any further. Forgive him, Your Majesty. Merfolk pride can be quite pushy." Rei was a breath of fresh air compared to her husband. While she felt the same way about the sincerity of a mer's feelings, she understood how it could come off to humans. Toshinori bowed his head to the queen and continued to watch the happiness of his people.

The Todoroki siblings watched as their baby brother was rowing his and Midoriya's boat gently along the lake among the fireflies.

"What are the chances that they might kiss?" asked Natsuo, nudging his older brother. Before Dabi could answer, Hawks snorted.

"Is Shouto really that smooth that he can get one?" he asked. Shouto had never shown much interest or knowledge in romance. While mers his age would race through the ocean to find a mate, he was always in the castle training and not having much contact with mers who wanted to show interest in him. Dabi nodded firmly.

"He damn well can. He's a Todoroki. People beg us for affection. You prostrated yourself in front of Fuyumi and begged her to just hold your hand, remember that?" he teased, the memory still vivid. Dabi could clearly remember the begging and the tears shed. While Fuyumi turned red, Natsuo barked in laughter.

"He still does!" Hawks crossed his arms over his chest, sulking and not wanting to admit that he didn't because he loved Fuyumi. She reached out and slapped all of them on the head.

"You three quit it! Let them take their time. A slow romance is great! Look at them! Izuku might really have feelings for him and going for the kiss so quickly can destroy an entire relationship." She was practically singing as she joyfully eyed the sweet expression on Shouto's face. This could mean that Shouto found the one for him like she did with Hawks.

"They'll totally suck each other's dicks by next week," was Dabi's answer to his brother. Natsuo blew out a breath.

"Yep."

* * *

Midoriya and Todoroki were lost in their own world with the fireflies making a private space for them. It was like sitting in the night sky with stars surrounding and sparkling around them. Todoroki was mesmerized at the sight, but more so with Midoriya smiling like he was the sun keeping them in orbit. His breath bought in his throat when Midoriya suddenly looked at him like he wanted Todoroki just as much as he wanted him. He barely had enough time to capture the smile in his memory when Midoriya leapt forward and kissed him on the lips.

The feeling was indescribable, but if he could relive this every day, he'd be willing to pay any price for it. It was like breathing after feeling crushed. Or a gentle tide carrying you in the ocean. He got over his initial shock and melted into the kiss, but was quickly crestfallen when Midoriya pulled away. So this is what heartbreak felt like. He managed to shy away and look at Shouto with puppy eyes. Suddenly, Shouto's heartbreak was gone.

"I hope I didn't offend you. I just wanted to try..." He could try all he wants with him. Shouto scooted closer to Izuku and gently kissed him close to the mouth.

"I am always willing for a kiss from you. Don't bother holding back next time." They grinned at each other and spent their time watching the fireflies flutter around.

* * *

Rei kept her cry in her throat when she saw her son be kissed. Midoriya was the one who initiated it, not Shouto. That was huge! That meant something!

"Ah! They kissed!" The new voice surprised Rei, who gasped and clutched Enji's arm in response. She smiled when she saw the newcomer with her maids.

"Inko-sama. I haven't seen you all night." Inko waved shyly and giggled.

"You could say I snuck aboard. I debated on whether or not I'd come, but I wanted to check on my son." For a moment, her eyes drooped and Enji could tell it was grief.

"You hesitated because your mate is dead and you weren't sure if you can handle seeing the couples." His voice wasn't consoling. Just cold and terse. Inko gasped a little and her maids jumped to comfort her. Nemuri glared at him with a disgusted look. Rei swooped in between them and pinned Enji with a scolding stare.

"Enji-san, please. Forgive my husband. He is far too blunt for such delicate matters." She turned and bowed to Inko apologetically. Inko pried herself away from her maids and nodded to them, sighing as she processed Enji's words.

"He's right. My husband's death weighs on me still. However, I wanted to see my son and this potential romance. I want him to have that. I don't know if I can ever have that again." Her mind raced to the times she had come to the festival with Hisashi. It was at this very festival years ago when they talked about Izuku being quirkless. Hisashi had laughed at her concerns and lifted a squealing Izuku into the air.

 _"Quirkless? Hahaha! Like_ that _will hold Izuku down. He's got something special inside him, Inko. He's going to rise above anything this world will throw at him. I know it. He's our son. Just you wait. This world is his oyster and he's that pearl who gives it value."_

The memory brought her to tears again. She thought about him every day. He would be so proud of Izuku now. She wondered how he'd react to Izuku being wanted by a mer. Hisashi was much more easy-going than she was. He probably would have laughed and said a joke about Izuku being able to reel in a good catch. Enji scanned her closely, then saw Rei's eyes darting between him and Inko. She wanted him to apologize. He wasted no time with her wish.

"I offer you my condolences and apologize for being crass. However, as a mer, our answer to your last remark is that if you loved your mate just as much as we do for ours, then you can never have that again with anyone else. When our mates die, our hearts dies with them. Any attempt at another relationship will have you constantly thinking about the other. You enjoy what you have left, but replacing your love will make you feel hollow. At least that is what it's like for my people. Live with the thought that Shouto will love your son dearly for the rest of his life. None can compare to the loyalty of a mer. Despite the humans' interpretation of our behavior, none will say that our bonds are meaningless."

Inko rubbed say her tears, accepting a handkerchief from her maid. "I just want my Izuku to be happy. That's all I want."

Rei offered her a kind, reassuring smile. "He will be, Inko-sama. And he will make my son very happy as well."

* * *

After the festival was over, the villagers bid their goodbyes and began the trek home. All Might was ushered into his private carriage by his elite and was taken back to the castle with Midoriya and his mother. Behind his carriage were the ones carrying the royal family. All Might cleared his throat.

"Did you enjoy the festival, Midoriya-shounen?" The innocent smile and blush told him the full story. All Might nodded proudly.

"Mmh! Very good. I'm glad he was respectful and romantic." Midoriya gave him a sheepish look.

"Do you think it was a bad idea to kiss him like that?" All Might blinked.

"Kissing him? It was what you wanted, was it not?" Midoriya pouted.

"Yeah. And I wanted to thank him for all the nice gifts he gave me." Inko giggled softly and reached out to hold the pearl necklace in her hand. It was such a pretty gift. Father instincts rising, All Might crossed his arms over his chest.

"Remember, just because he gave you expensive gifts doesn't mean you owe him affection. It was his choice to give you the gifts, it's your choice whether or not to give him something in return." Midoriya in turn was smiling dreamily and looking out of the carriage window. All Might smiled, toning down his earlier mood. He was pleased with himself. Ah, young love.

* * *

In the Todoroki carriage, Natsuo wrinkled his face at seeing Shouto with an uncharacteristically happy smile on his face.

"Shou, stop smiling like that. It's off-putting." Shouto didn't seem to hear him. Enji scoffed.

"A first kiss with a mate better have him smiling like that. It is an insult to not be ecstatic when your mate graces you with any affection. You're making progress, Shouto," he praised to his youngest. "It won't be long until Fuyumi and Hawks will be married and you need to have your mate come to the sea with us for the wedding. Don't you want to properly court him like a mer?"

Shouto narrowed his eyes at him. "Of course I do, but I don't want him to be scared of us. I won't let you ruin my relationship just because you want to shove it in All Might's face about how superior we are. I already have to deal with that idiot of a knight threatening to thwart any of my advances to Midoriya."

Enji let his quip pass over him and focused on his last remark.

"A human daring to interfere with a courtship? And you didn't establish dominance over him?" His brows furrowed in disdain at the audacity. Shouto clicked his tongue.

"Establishing dominance would be deemed terrorizing to humans. Sure, he'd live with one arm, half-blind and no stomach, but the humans would see it as cruel. He's close to Midoriya in friendship. I don't want him to hate me for hurting his friend." His father nodded like he hadn't just decided a cruel fate for Bakugou.

"If he continues to behave like a mongrel, put him down like one." Shouto didn't protest. It wouldn't be a smart idea, but Enji wasn't in the mood to listen. Whatever. He smiled and looked out of the window. His dreams would be all about Midoriya's sweet kiss.

* * *

 **End of the chapter! I have a lot of things I wanna say, but let's just be more forefront and say that I will work hard for the next chapter. Hopefully by the next update, I'll have news about other things :)**

 **Next chapter preview:**

 _"Iida-shounen, your job is to guide our merfolk guests around the city with your group and inform them about human society. They shall do the same and tell you about merfolk life."_

 _…_

 _"Four Eyes, this is gonna be a shitshow. I already wanna turn half of them into sashimi."_

 _…_

 _"'Sharing a bed?!' Do you wanna get pregnant?!"_


	7. Author's Note: An Update on Me

Hi everyone! I know many of you were hoping that this is a new chapter, but unfortunately, that will have to take some time. I wanted to share something pretty personal with you all and I feel that I don't share a lot of my personal life online for good reason, but I needed to get this off my chest.

I got accepted into nursing school! It is a great, competitive program from a community college with high pass rates and a great deal of respect from hospitals. I start first thing on Tuesday and I cannot wait. I have a great group of friends with me and I already have so much support from my best friends from high school. In two years after crying and dying through studying, I'm gonna be an RN. However, not everything is as sunny as I'd like it to be. I also applied for another stellar nursing program that would grant me an MSN; for I want to be an NP one day. That school has interviewed me recently and they're unbelievably kind and will let me know soon if I'm accepted or not.

My family is pretty gung-ho about me going to this school. And why not? I would be getting a master's out the gate in three years opposed to being an RN in two and working while going back to school for another 2 years or so. However, I will get a metric fuckton of debt and no choice in selecting which hospital to rotate at. In the other school I'm in, I don't get a master's, but I don't mind at all giving more time and working my way up to that process. I have more options and can choose my clinical site. Also, I will barely be spending as much as the other school. I would essentially be debt free because I can pay for my schooling without pulling loans.

Maybe I'm crazy for not going with the opportunity. I sure look crazy to my family, except a few who understand what I'm going through and support me. But I realize today that I am losing support for my choices and it feels like I'd be choosing a more expensive route to make my life easier because my family would be proud of me for doing that. Their daughter/sister got into a prestigious program and got a master's. I even had one person who vehemently supported me going to the cheaper school completely about face and tell me that I should be going for that shiny, expensive degree because it's what I want in the end. Yet **_I'm_ **the one who will deal with the debt. **_I'm_ **the one who's stuck with _**my** _decision. _**Me**_. Not my family. Not my friends. Not my imaginary children I don't have. Me.

"The debt will pay itself off once you become an NP!" Bitch, are you paying for it? Who's gonna be paying for it in the end? Fucking me.

" _ **I**_ want you to go to that school!" And what you want will make me happy?

"You don't understand yet, you're young." I understand perfectly. I can't make you understand because you don't listen. Or maybe you are listening, but you're too stubborn and don't want to hear it.

"Once you start working as a nurse, you'll forget school and never go back to finish. And you probably can't handle working and school at the same time." Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I'm only writing this because I wanted to just type it and be done. I've made my decision and everyone will be mad at me, but _**my** _decision affects _**my** _life. And that's what I want you guys to take from this.

Chasing dreams made by other people for you don't feel like your dreams. You can be inspired, you can feel motivated, but you weave the dreams and bring them to reality. I had been happy applying to the expensive school, but it soon felt like I was doing it for someone else, not me. I respect that school immensely, but am I happier getting in for myself or for my parents? The more you try to please someone else, the less you make yourself happy. That person's happiness could and should be important to you, because you love them and they love you, but what's to say that they won't be happy with what you end up doing? You just do things your own way, yet you could still end up with a similar result or an even better one. I want to make my family happy, but I want to make me happy first and foremost because I'm the one who sleeps with myself at night and will live with my decisions.

I'm Asian. Vietnamese. I have been raised with the idea that family matters first and making the family happy and proud should be foremost in your mind. But it's given me anxiety. I think about consequences as to how my family will react, not from what it does to me. It's a collective way of thinking and it's not always healthy. I worry so much about disappointing my family that I could disappoint myself in the end, but it's okay because my family is happy. But I can't do it anymore. I want to think about me.

When you all think about your future one day, maybe you'll think about what I'm saying. Maybe you have already. Your future is yours and you should have the control to bend it the way you want to. Sometimes it doesn't always play out, but it's okay. Sleep on it because tomorrow is a new day. Do something that makes you not only happy, but proud with little regrets. And sometimes, you'll have your naysayers and people trying to tell you what to do because they think they know what's best for you. Sometimes, they mean well but they're overbearing. Take it with a grain of salt, but _**you** _need to be the one who puts everything on the table and sort things out for _**you**_. **_You_ **can handle what **_you_ **can handle. Don't let someone else tell you what you're capable of. In the end, they are not going to be affected by what you choose. **_You_ **are. **_And you're going to be just fine._** I know I am. ( ^ , ^ )

Now that you've reached the end of this note, good job! Thank you for taking your time to read it. Take care! I hope to update soon, but nursing school has claimed my soul for now, but I'm always gonna be here lurking.

-winternightlullaby


	8. The Fucking Trip

I'M BACK! I first want to apologize for being gone. And I want to thank everyone who has voiced their support, even to those who may have been too shy to say anything because I know what that's like. To those of you who didn't get a reply from me, I read every comment I get and I appreciate them. I just never have the time to go and reply because I have to study.

Nursing school is going great! It's not a smooth ride and it's got shitty bumps, curves and all in between, but it's the best decision I've made. I deal with pretentious classmates on the daily, people who see themselves as martyrs but never think of another's point of view in the workforce, but I have made many friends who counter that negative energy. If I could sit and rant about how awful my classmates can be, I'll be sitting here all summer. But the patients I've had who have been so kind to me and understanding of my inexperience have made my time so much worth it now that I feel like I'm in a position where I can help people more than I've had before. The patients and the sick are why I wanted to be a nurse and they still are and always will be. I just need to get through school and get away from the immaturity people show. For real, do y'all have no shame?! Grow the fuck up! You're a hero, sure, but you're not the only hero! Ugh, sorry. Martyrdom seems prominent in this class of mine. And seriously, the doctor was rude to you for nothing? Maybe don't crowd the fucking doorway and actually listen the first five times he asked you to move but you were too busy talking to notice he was there! That's just one thing. I can make an entire damn dissertation from the last three months.

When I feel upset and wonder if I can keep dealing with this stress, I look at my friends and my family that now support me. I look at your guys' replies and I can take a breather and calm down. One semester down, four more to go.

 _To **AnimeWolf2000, The Last Appleborne, haruka24,** **TheCheshyHunter, MayCrusade, dancibayo, the Guest from Feb 23rd, Astril-Wolfhart, ChuuniExtraordinaire, fakir51** : Thank you for your words and support J. Thank you for stopping by and listening to what I had to say and giving me some wisdom, sympathy and understanding. It's weird how we can relate to others even though we may not know who's on the other end. I thank you for doing that even though you don't know me._

* * *

The next morning, Bakugou and his fellow knights were awakened by elites in their homes as requested by Aizawa. They didn't even get the chance to get ready before they were ushered out to a quiet park that didn't have a single civilian around because of the early hour. Iida ordered them at attention when Aizawa approached. The bored elite nodded to them and slumped his shoulders.

"Last night was quite a spectacle thanks to you lot." All eyes fell on Bakugou, who refused to flinch. Aizawa's glance hardened.

"We have a reputation to uphold. Luckily the Sea King was preoccupied and so were the rest of the mers. The prince was too busy ogling at ours, so he didn't really care either. But I saw and so did many of the elites. When All Might ordered you all to keep watch over Midoriya, he also meant for you to not treat their prince like an enemy. At least not yet unless he plans on taking him out for a swim in the ocean. Why so combative, Bakugou?" The mention of his name got the blonde to flinch. He was already on the defensive ever since he was woken up.

"...none of your business." Iida chopped at his shoulder, making him growl.

"It _is_ our business. We are protecting the prince too. We should be able to establish clear communication if we are meant to be acting together as a group. You've been exceptionally unruly since we found out Midoriya encountered the prince at sea with the Shiketsu division." Bakugou glanced over at Kirishima, who looked just as curious and a little hurt that Bakugou was closing himself off even to him. It made him feel a little guilty. The blonde scoffed, admitting this blunder of defeat just once.

"It started when All Might chose Deku as his prince." The searing pain of rejection and confusion came flying into his memory as he remembered his heart dropping when All Might approached Deku in the courtyard during their training. All Might had walked by so many, including him, to get to Deku. Quirkless Deku had gotten his attention out of so many knights. Knights who not just had quirks, but were showing them off in ways to enhance their strength to the advantage. Bakugou didn't necessarily want to be the next prince, but he wanted to be acknowledged by his idol and be depended on as an elite.

Deku was to receive the same blessing All Might had when he was a teen from Queen Nana, obtaining the quirk One for All that was passed down to each ruler of Yuuei. No one could ever receive the quirk unless granted by the current ruler and could withstand its power. Deku who had once lingered in the background like an extra was now forefront and center with the world left to gaze at his back. No longer the scrawny boy laughed at by others, now he was stronger and held his head up higher.

Bakugou felt like he had been left behind even though he had been ahead for years. In that moment when All Might laid a hand on Deku's shoulder that day, Bakugou's dreams of one day surpassing the beloved king had shattered.

Did he rage that day? Yes. The day after? Even more so.

The coronation took place months after that fateful day. Deku was bright-eyed and sparkly in a nicer outfit and cape that Inko sewed herself. Thousands of people had gathered that day on the beaches and boats to watch. Bells and fireworks could be heard from each neighboring city to welcome the new prince. All Might announced Deku as his prince and the entire kingdom was cheering for the future. People were happy and crying all at once. The palace witches conjured up an emerald aurora borealis in his honor, paying homage to the golden one that had been made when All Might became prince years ago. Their friends were cheering the loudest with Uraraka floating Deku into the sky. Only Bakugou was silent amongst the deafening cheers of the people.

Confronting Deku once they had a moment alone was the first time they had a face-to-face talk in years. Deku was once the little nerd of their village who followed him around, giving him that dumb nickname and being a magnet for trouble because he was easy to pick on and kept interjecting himself in problems he wanted to solve. Now he was the prince and didn't flinch when Bakugou approached. Bakugou had screamed at him, demanding why he had been chosen and how a quirkless loser like him could surpass someone like Bakugou. He shouted obscenities, vented his obvious superiority and attempted to declare him as unsuitable for the throne. How could he even see himself as worthy to sit on All Might's throne? How could he take on the mantle as Symbol of Peace from the greatest ruler Yuuei has ever been blessed with? How could he ever top what All Might has ever done? All Might, the king who was loved and respected by all and could spread hope just by his reassuring smile and strong fist. Deku could never compare. Why did he receive All Might's attention and his acknowledgment? His hero chose the loser as his own hero. Bakugou was blue in the face after he was done. He had even begun crying out of frustration, chest hurting from shouting and his own broken heart. But Deku didn't even blink during Bakugou's tirade. He didn't show an inkling of being hurt by his childhood friend's words that were meant to cut him down. Instead, he was smiling so confidently in a way that had Bakugou reeling back. He looked like All Might. No, that wasn't right. It was Deku's nerdy, goofy smile, but that hope came from what All Might and the previous rulers had instilled in the people since the foundation of Yuuei.

"Deku made a promise to me when he was coronated as prince. He said he'd be the best king this land has ever seen. He said he would even surpass All Might and show Yuuei that he was worthy to be our king. I told him he'd better or I'd kick his ass." Deku was then taken aback by Bakugou's change in attitude, but he started smiling like the dumbass he knew him for. The blonde clenched his fist at the memory. That idiot was his first friend. He wasn't the most reliable and he could barely relate to the stupidity that idiot showed off, but it was like taking care of a little brother. A dumbass little brother who was going to be the next king and he was the big brother who had to make sure he'd do his job.

"I'm not letting some fucking fish get in the way of that promise. Deku's an idiot. He cries too much, he mumbles like a buffoon and he has a geeky smile on his face all the time, but he's the prince. I swore as a knight to protect the king. If Deku's gonna be king, I'm gonna protect his ass too." He smiled viciously. "Not to mention that fucking fish pisses me off. I hate that dopey look on his face! And he thinks he's stronger than me, but that bastard just thinks he's hot shit! If I leave him alone with Deku for five minutes, that idiot might lose his fucking virginity and not even know it!"

No way in hell was he in love with Deku himself, he just knew that leaving Deku alone with that bastard was like leaving a sex-starved wolf in heat with a fertile companion.

The others had been shocked by Bakugou's sudden outpour of his heart. Who knew that such a demon could have such strong human emotions? It was admirable, until he mentioned attacking the mer prince. That wasn't cool. Aizawa sighed as Iida jumped into scolding Bakugou over his outlandish remarks. He could understand where Bakugou was coming from, but he needed to keep that sort of thing under wraps. The explosive knight was passionate. He just needed to exercise better restraint. In the end, Bakugou never said he'd be friendlier with Todoroki. Fuck that. He'd be friendly if Todoroki promised to stop flirting with Deku, but fat chance of that happening. He'd try. Try.

* * *

Elsewhere, Midoriya was sitting at a desk with Nighteye hovering above him. Ever since that romantic display, Nighteye knew he had to act fast to prevent any more affection that could be misconstrued by mers for wanting marriage and children.

"Midoriya-ouji, I have made a list of presents suitable for gifting to a mer. I know your family deals in metalsmithing and can make dozens of jewelry for Yuuei. Believe me when I say that your gifts can be misconstrued for something more. Take for example the promise rings we give to significant others that signify our desires for an official relationship. The last thing you want is for that ring to suddenly mean that you want to marry the prince." Midoriya paled. Rings were given as a way to say 'I wanna date you!' It was a cutesy courtship tradition they had in their society. The rings were simple platinum bands with a pink or red gemstone. When someone wanted to propose marriage, the proposer presents a new diamond gemstone, gets down on one knee and asks if they can replace the stone. It was a wonderful tradition, but mer traditions were different. Rings meant marriage, not just dating. Getting his attention, Nighteye continued.

"Mer society relishes in extravagant gifts to their beloved, from pearls and diamonds to heads of suitors to display their strength. Avoid murder for obvious reasons and focus on other gifts. Show the prince what land has to offer besides your hand in marriage." Midoriya wanted to make a gift, like a wristband or something like that from his home village. His family would be able to guide him on how to do that. Maybe...if Shouto didn't mind...

Midoriya took the list and bowed to him.

"I understand, Nighteye-san! I'll do my best!" He fled with the list soaring behind him. Nighteye sighed. Doing his best wasn't the problem. The problem was his best being taken for something different. Midoriya was a good kid, but his good will was a complete trap for someone like Todoroki to pluck him up for the taking. He turned his heel and strode to the elite training grounds to pull together a proper guard for the prince.

* * *

Shouto was dreamily gazing out of the window of his room. Breakfast had passed by like a blur because he was too busy staring at Izuku. That kiss was something he could live off of for days. Not even Enji was being critical of his attitude. He had seen it as a victory and was smirking to himself. His son was winning at courtship and humans like Nighteye were probably panicking behind the scenes about it.

What Shouto was worried about was the next gift he should present. The pearl and platinum were amazing gifts. He had to be able to get something that was just as valuable. Something that could even match up to the soft kiss Izuku blessed him with.

A knock on the door got his attention, pulling him from the sight out of the window to the wooden door that remained closed.

"Enter." His voice was nonchalant, expecting a servant or one of his merfolk. Instead, Izuku meekly entered. Shouto's mood soared and he pushed off his seat on the windowsill to greet him. He reached for his mate, kissing him gently on the cheek. He didn't want to push him for another kiss. He quite liked it when Midoriya gave him one on his own volition.

"We didn't speak much at breakfast. Last night was a little intense for me," Shouto admitted. He smirked. "I didn't expect you to be so forward. It was much appreciated."

Midoriya hid his cheeks in embarrassment. Didn't Todoroki ever find shame in what he said so freely? He quickly shook his head and stood confident.

"Umm...I know I mentioned that I wanted you to know more about me, but a lot of my life wasn't in the castle. It was in the countryside. I'd like to take you there, where I grew up." He didn't realize how fast he spoke until his lungs ached for air. He'd think that Todoroki hadn't heard him, but the gradual widening of his eyes gave it away. The gears in the sea prince's head turned rapidly. His future was leaning towards envisioning Midoriya being wooed by him in his home and if he managed that, they would totally be married before winter. It was genius.

"I'd love to. When should we depart?" While Midoriya's eyes widened and he sputtered, Todoroki continued casually as he checked around his room for supplies he'd need for this trip. "If it's soon, I'll have some of my clothes packed up. I'll need to know how many days as well. If it goes over the time my parents will be here, I should say goodbye to them in advance-"

Midoriya leapt in front of his sight, holding his hands out like he was trying to calm down a wild animal, which wasn't far off.

"Wa-wait a sec! You mean like today?!" he yelped, hoping it wasn't what he was thinking. To his surprise, Todoroki nodded seriously.

"Of course. Anything you want to do, I will follow. I have no issues with complying." His sincerity was frightening. His eyes were gleaming with devotion towards his mate and Izuku felt flattered. He blushed.

"I-umm, I need to let All Might know! It can only be for two or three days tops. I'm sure you'll find the countryside a bit boring after a while, so three days is plenty of time before you'll be bored." His village wasn't a tourist destination, more like a normal village with people working to get by and making a living through labor and travelers making their way to the city. A royal family wouldn't even glance their way if they passed by. Todoroki blinked.

"Why would I be bored? I'd be with you." Anyone who said he would be were going to die. Izuku laughed with little humor, looking downcast.

"You might find me a little boring. I might be a prince, but that's all I am. Midoriya Izuku without the prince is just a quirkless nerd from the country." Shouto tucked his hand underneath Izuku's chin, tilting it up slightly so their eyes met again. Izuku felt sparks in his chest. Shouto's voice was smooth like the ocean when he spoke.

"You became prince on merit, not birth. Shouldn't that be admirable? Or are you saying that people speak ill of you despite your achievements?" Very slightly, Shouto's fingers tightened around Izuku's chin, just enough for him to feel it.

"P-people like me plenty!" he stuttered hurriedly, assuring the mer to get him to calm down. He took a breath, feeling more somber as he thought about his less than stellar roots compared to a royal family's. "You're a prince too, but you were surrounded with so much and became strong on your own power. Todoroki members all have fire, but yours is your fire, not just the Todoroki's. You must have seen a lot of excitement of splendor, then you see me."

A silence casted over them briefly as Todoroki let what he said sink in. His mate was insecure and that irritated him. Midoriya was lovely. He was kind and from the rumors he heard about the human prince, he was strong and dependable. Yet why was he always making himself seem like he was worth nothing? Did others make him feel this way? His flames suddenly flared up at the thought of that blonde brute bullying him, but he calmed himself before his flames could be felt by his mate. He took a breath and steadied his gaze on Midoriya. Todoroki's hand shifted to cup Midoriya's cheek, leaning in closer so the human focused onto his eyes.

"I am like any mer. Merfolk live normal lives, but there's always this void we are subconsciously aware of that yearns to be filled. That is fulfilled by our mates. When I met you, I came home and found that the colors around me were brighter than I'd ever noticed and yet I couldn't enjoy it because I wasn't with you. Was I surrounded in treasures all my life? Yes, because I'm a prince. But nothing material is more meaningful and precious than meeting my mate. Meeting you." Midoriya choked back a surprised sob. No one had ever thought about him that intimately. He couldn't even dream about anyone ever saying that to him, let alone imagine someone confessing to him. He was just so...plain. He wasn't supremely muscular and buff like Iida or Kirishima. He was still toning out his muscles and was still new to quirks in general. How could Todoroki fall in love with him this sincerely? Was he truly this loved by Shouto? He closed one eye on the side where Todoroki leaned in and kissed him, then shivered as the mer moved his lips close to his ear.

"Let me see where you were born and raised before you came to the castle. I want to know everything." And he wanted the time alone with Midoriya. No counsel, no family, no idiot knights interrupting their time. Just him and Midoriya. This was a date. This was the courting he wanted. Both of his hands grasped Midoriya's and held them closely to himself. Based on Midoriya's eager, sparkling eyes, it seemed like he wanted the same. Midoriya was practically gleaming as he agreed.

* * *

But they still needed permission to leave and that meant going through Nighteye before talking to All Might. He almost broke the porcelain coffee cup he was holding when his prince bounded in with the idea. His glasses were askew once the idea was uttered by the optimistic prince.

"No. No. Unwise. I must say I reject this notion. Taking the prince to your home village? Alone? It must be forbidden." Nighteye told him to not to do things that could be misunderstood for more. This was practically at the top of the list. Midoriya visibly deflated and looked so pitiful that it almost made Nighteye completely concede. Almost.

"What if I brought someone with me to keep watch?" he offered. Kacchan would be sure to keep things from going too far. Behind him lingering behind the door frame was the mer prince, keeping his back to them but his ear by the doorway. Nighteye figured he was fine with not having him glare when he was hearing about not having his way and Shouto wasn't going to simply grace the advisor with his presence. Well, he could grant the request. On his terms, of course. Nighteye crossed his fingers together. This wasn't exactly something to bother All Might for, and the king trusted the mer prince to be honorable. Though yours truly did not.

"Your knights are going to embark on an assignment from the king. I shall assign a guard for you that it much better in my opinion. The guard I had in mind when this entire ordeal began." Nighteye smiled to himself. While Iida was a capable young man with a good head and command over his group, they were still inexperienced. The future of the kingdom didn't need experience now, but he needed others already prepared for protecting the king. At his small smile, Midoriya was ecstatic. He was allowed to go! And the ones protecting him were probably Togata-senpai and his friends. This was going to be great!

* * *

"THIS IS GOING TO BE A BUNCH OF SHIT, DEKU! DON'T BRING HIM BACK HOME!" Bakugou shouted, clearly not into the idea of bringing the mer to their home village. The group was talking out in a section of the castle courtyard where no mers could hear their conversation. Iida looked skeptical alongside Tokoyami, but Kirishima was at least supportive.

"That sounds like it can be fun! And at least your village is practically landlocked so he can't swim into the ocean with you." That fact had at least two of them relaxing. Midoriya brightened up like a doofus.

"That's true! But I also trust Todoroki-kun to be honorable. All Might does, so I do too!" Behind him, Bakugou silently mocked him, only to be chopped by Iida's firm hand.

"And sleeping arrangements? I don't think someone of royal blood is used to sleeping in a commoner's bed," Tokoyami brought up. The village wasn't exactly known for grand inns. Midoriya frowned a little.

"That's true. I did talk about it with him though. He said he wouldn't mind even sharing a bed with me." That comment lit Bakugou's short fuse. Explosions went off in his hands as he slammed them onto the fence they were sitting on.

"'Sharing a bed?!' Do you wanna get pregnant?!" Midoriya had the fucking nerve to look confused.

"Pregnant? It's not sex, Kacchan. We're just sleeping." Bakugou scoffed. His naivety was _sickening_.

"That's what you think until he's between your legs!" Kirishima quickly jumped between them with his hands up in defense.

"He'll probably be okay! I really don't think Todoroki would do anything if Midoriya doesn't like it! I've read that mers would never force their mates into things they don't want. Probably because they don't want to be hated by them." Iida nodded in response.

"That is true! My brother told me the same. I think that's very noble of them, despite other traits that aren't exactly kind." Tensei also told him about a time where his team found a severed head floating in the water. The perpetrator emerged at that moment and told them that the mer deserved it for trying to court the same mer he wanted. He then took the severed head and announced that he would use it to deter other mers from trying to pull the same stunt. Tensei and his comrades had to dock as soon as possible to find the nearest tavern.

Tenya didn't know how Todoroki fought, but that night on the beach was enough to put him on edge. With Midoriya's reassuring smile, Iida felt a little comforted. Hopefully Todoroki stayed honorable.

* * *

"Going on a trip with the prince? Nice. You're a lot smoother than I thought, Shou. Super subtle too. You must get it from Mom," Dabi stated dryly. Shouto had joined his family to tell them of the news, which was well-received on their end. Dabi elbowed him lightly.

"I bought this fertility potion from one of the witches before we left home. Slip it in his tea, pound into him and boom. He'll be pregnant with triplets. The humans probably wouldn't want the prince having children out of wedlock. Scandals like that are a bitch to recover from. Here, let me find it." Dabi went digging into his coat for the vial, but Shouto grabbed his arm with an annoyed stare.

"Touya-nii, no." Dabi lifted his hands up in surrender.

"Okay, fine. Guess you're confident in your sperm." The notion of sex annoyed Shouto because he wasn't getting any and wasn't expecting to.

"We're not having sex!" Dabi quirked a brow up in surprise.

"No? How are you gonna be in bed with him and make sure it doesn't devolve into that? We aren't exactly prudes when it comes to sex with our mates. I remember the first night with me and Himiko sharing a bed together. I went down-" Rei cleared her throat harshly.

"Touya, that is enough." Dabi shrugged towards her. He wasn't exactly a model child.

"Sorry, Mom. But seriously. The humans would have to arrange a marriage quickly to avoid scandal of two princes banging without an official agreement." Shotgun marriages didn't sound bad. In Dabi's eyes, they were as good as married at this point. The temperature in the room dropped to chilling degrees. From where Rei sat, ice crystallized around her and changed her couch into an icy throne.

"You will not entertain such thoughts." Her voice left no room to argue. Her temper was like a blizzard that no one wanted to brave. Natsuo whined in defense of Dabi.

"Aww, Mom. It's a great plan!" She ignored him, sternly shaking her finger at her eldest like he was a toddler.

"You will not influence Shouto with such bad decisions! As the older brother, you should be more mindful!" Dabi scoffed and palmed the back of his neck.

"It's not a bad decision, Mom, it's a foolproof plan. The old man would agree." Rei turned to Enji, who merely snorted and looked out the window. After a few moments, he finally spoke.

"Hmph, a scandal like that is a headache," he muttered in an annoyed tone. After a few seconds of silence, Natsuo gently elbowed his brother.

"...he didn't say he hated the plan," he whispered loudly. Rei continued to glare and proceeded to tap her foot. Their way of thinking would damage people's perception of mers worse than what they already were. Enji strode over to them, melting the ice with his fire.

"Alright, that's enough rebellion against your mother." Any objections wouldn't be tolerated. He did want to congratulate his youngest for already proving himself worthy in some way to the human prince. Though it was expected. It should be an honor to gain affection from a Todoroki mer.

"The rest of you, report to All Might. He has some event that requires cooperation from us. Don't embarrass the reputation of this clan," he warned. The siblings and Hawks quickly straightened up and bowed before leaving. All glanced back to grin at their youngest brother before they disappeared into the hallway.

* * *

After breakfast and a quick hour of meetings, All Might sent a summons for the knights to the throne room for an assignment. Dutifully, the knights kneeled before their king and waited for him to speak. Along the side of the room were the Todoroki siblings sans Shouto. Hawks stood by Fuyumi, holding her hand protectively. Dabi and Natsuo looked exceptionally bored. All Might stood proudly before his subjects.

"Knights serve as representatives of the honor, spirit and pride of their kingdoms. This goes for any society. Knights of Endeavor follow this duty diligently as well." Bakugou twitched. He didn't like where this was going. All Might turned to Iida with a confident grin.

"Iida-shounen, your job is to guide our merfolk guests around the city with your group and inform them about human society. They shall do the same and tell you about merfolk life." The siblings waved at them, Fuyumi politely and the other two with hidden intentions. Bakugou gnashed his teeth together. Protecting Deku was already a pain in the ass. Now he had to deal with mers too?!

All Might descended from his throne, quickly followed by Cementoss and Ectoplasm.

"I will not tolerate any reports of fighting between you lot. Treat each other with respect." His tone was a warning and encouragement. The groups bowed to him before he left with his guards.

The siblings and Hawks approached the group, the men silently sizing up the boys before them. Fuyumi was smiling cutely as she waited for someone to speak first. Dabi spoke first after looking each person up and down.

"We should do formal introductions. Might as well act like we have class. My name is Todoroki Touya, eldest prince of Endeavor, no way in fuck am I gonna be king because fuck that, and one of the strongest Todorokis in existence." Dabi bowed dramatically to the humans, smirking in a way that pissed Bakugou off. Natsuo bowed next.

"Todoroki Natsuo! Second prince of Endeavor. I make fog." Not the smartest statement, but one could tell that he made that remark sound stupid on purpose. He followed with a smirk that mirrored his brother's. Hawks nodded, not releasing his hand from Fuyumi's.

"Hawks. Warrior of Endeavor and about to be the luckiest man in the world." He looked at his fiancée like she was the only thing worth smiling at. Fuyumi blushed, clearing her throat before curtsying the way human women do.

"I am Todoroki Fuyumi. First princess and second oldest child of Enji-ō-sama. It is a pleasure to meet the knights protecting Midoriya-ouji once again." Her voice wasn't sarcastic. She was as sincere as Queen Rei and was a shining light compared to her purposefully foolish brothers and fawning fiancé. By her demeanor, she graced her title as princess with all of the poise of one. At once, Iida, Tokoyami and Kirishima knelt down to her. Even Bakugou was civilized and bowed his head to her. So far, she was the only mer not pissing him off.

Dabi snorted and jabbed a thumb at her.

"The other child who isn't an embarrassment to the family. Our perfect Princess Fuyumi and her perv of a fiancé." The engaged pair flushed red and Hawks got in his face.

"I'm a pervert?! Says the guy who has a girlfriend who tries jumping his bones in the middle of a hallway! And you get into that shit!" Dabi rolled his eyes and ignored him. Fuyumi turned to Iida with an apologetic smile.

"The behavior of my brother must be unsightly," she murmured, embarrassed by their antics. Iida didn't show any reaction to it, bowing his head to the princess.

"We take no offense, Fuyumi-ojo." Bakugou scoffed and jammed his hands into the pockets of his armor.

"Four Eyes, this is gonna be a shitshow. I already wanna turn half of them into sashimi." Iida flared up and chopped the air at him.

"Bakugou-kun! Restraint!"

"Meh..."

* * *

Midoriya and Todoroki were greeted by his overly enthusiastic senpai in a separate wing of the castle by the gardens. Togata Mirio was decked out in his armor, steel white and blue with gold plating on his shoulders and chest. He was waving faster than the last enemies who waved white flags when All Might stormed their castle with his elite.

"Hiya, Midoriya-ouji-kun!" he greeted. Midoriya bowed his head.

"Togata-senpai! Good to see you." Mirio quickly put a friendly hand on his shoulder and shook it.

"No no no, Midoriya-ouji-kun, we talked about this. You can't bow your head to me anymore. You're the prince now." On cue, Midoriya perked back up. He didn't want another etiquette lecture from Sir Nighteye. Todoroki was watching with quiet annoyance. He didn't like anyone touching Midoriya so casually, but he could overlook it when Mirio refused to allow Midoriya to grace him with so much formality. The blonde knight turned to the mer prince and dropped into a respectful bow.

"And you must be Todoroki-ouji! My name is Togata Mirio. It is an honor to be graced by your presence. This is the first time I've met a royal mer." Todoroki nodded lightly, waving his hand for Togata to raise his head.

"You've had encounters with other mers?" he asked, wondering if Togata had previous experiences that were deemed unpleasant by human standards. Togata nodded with sincerity.

"Sure have! Nothing against them, or you for that matter. As long as you like our precious prince, we'll have no problems!" He looked so confident and spoke like Midoriya was an overprotected bunny. Midoriya bristled.

"Please don't speak of me like I'm a child!" he snapped, embarrassed by his senpai. Togata chuckled and scratched his cheek.

"Sorry! I just wanna make sure you're in capable hands." He cleared his throat and placed his hands on his hips. "I'll be escorting you two back to your home village, Midoriya-ouji-kun! I'd like to visit too. It's been some time since you've returned home, hasn't it?"

Reminded of home, Midoriya smiled with nostalgia.

"Yeah, it has. My duties and training have kept me grounded in the castle." It was part of his duty. If he wanted to protect his home, he had to complete his training and return as a leader. It was painful sometimes, but he would receive and send letters home to his family and friends. Togata smiled proudly.

"I'm not surprised! Sir wants to make sure you're on top and working to be our next best king. And this sounds amazing, doesn't it? Coming home and bringing your boyfriend with you?" Midoriya went red and quickly jumped to try to correct him.

"Togata-senpai! He's not exactly my-" Shouto cut him off, his voice louder than Izuku's.

"Yes, boyfriend. Thank you, Togata-san. It seems like we'll be getting along just fine." While Izuku sputtered in shock, he reached a hand out for Mirio to shake, who accepted it gladly and shook hard before releasing.

"Super! Oh, and I hope you don't mind having more company. Tamaki and Nejire are going to be accompanying us as well. They're just packing up more provisions for the three of us since the servants made only the shares for you two. Our additions were a little last minute." From the hallway leading out to the gardens, they could hear the sounds of voices conversing. "I also think Nejire's giving him a pep talk. He's a little nervous to meet someone from the royal family."

Midoriya could hear them clearly as they walked towards the exit, but weren't quite in view.

"You can do it, Amajiki! Just go right out there and introduce yourself!" Nejire encouraged with vigor. Amajiki quickly shrunk into the shade of the hallway.

"Nope. I can't. I'm gonna faceplant. And hopefully the ground eats me while I'm down there." He sounded like he was being tortured just thinking about coming up to them. Nejire went behind him and tried to guide him towards the outside, which proved to be a little difficult.

"Just think of him as a potato! You won't feel any nervousness if you do that." Amajiki shook his head like a dog out of water.

"That didn't work the last time when you made me say hi to an envoy. It freaked me out instead." Oh, the embarrassment. His mentor Fat Gum had to come to his rescue with Togata. He wanted to bury himself in the ocean for that. Nejire clicked her tongue.

"Oh, you can do it! I'm sure the prince won't mind you. Just don't get lovey dovey with our prince and you're in the clear." Amajiki slowly stared at her, new panic setting in.

"But what if I'm accidentally lovey dovey with Midoriya-ouji?" If that happened, he couldn't bury himself in the ocean because the Todoroki clan would assassinate him. He'd have to go into the mountains and the mountain villagers were especially talkative and friendly. While lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice that Togata jogged in and was pulling him out into the garden.

"Can't keep them waiting, Tamaki! We promised to be diligent!" Amajiki might have made a noise resembling a strangled cat. Nejire flounced into the sunlight and skipped towards her prince.

"Hi! Sorry for the wait!" She bowed her head to the princes. "It's an honor to meet you, Todoroki-ouji. My name is Hado Nejire. I will be part of the team escorting you and our prince back to his home village."

Todoroki gestured for her to move out of her bow, which she did gracefully. Immediately, she pounced on her prince and grabbed his cheeks.

"Midoriya-kun! You look so cute today! Your cheeks look extra pillowy!" She squished Midoriya's face, the prince blushing for having someone too close. Amakiji wanted to sink into the earth.

"Nejire, you did it..." She warned him about getting close to the prince and here she was doing the exact opposite of what she preached. Togata slipped between her and Midoriya to split the up gently.

"Todoroki-ouji, please don't mind her behavior. She doesn't merit any feelings for Midoriya-ouji-kun in that manner. She thinks he's cute like a bunny." He spoke a little fast, trying to get his point across to keep Shouto from plotting possible revenge.

Shouto was annoyed. Yes, Midoriya's as cute as a bunny. That wasn't the problem. It was that she was touching him. Midoriya quickly seized his arm with a smile.

"Let's go find that carriage! Then we can talk on our ride to my village! Let's try to get there by late afternoon, right, Togata-senpai?" Mirio nodded and swung his cape around as he turned.

"To find the carriage!" he announced. Behind him, Nejire called out in a cheer with Tamaki meekly following them. Mirio would have to remind them on the ride there to be more mindful of their manners around the prince.

* * *

The ride to Izuku's village was calming. Being princes, the two were confined to the carriage to maintain privacy and protection. Outside, their guards flanked the carriage with Tamaki at the reins. Several normal knights accompanied them for extra protection.

Izuku was in the middle of explaining how he knew the three protecting them, him in actuality. Mirio had more explaining due to their past.

"Togata-senpai was rumored to be prince, but All Might chose me in the end and stood his ground when some people begged him to reconsider. I think out of everyone, Togata-senpai has been one of the most supportive people behind me. He had been pursuing a position in the elite rather than becoming prince, so he said he didn't care at all. It's nice to have a great senpai looking after me. I'm so clumsy and he always pushes me in the right direction. He's like the older brother I never had," he added, hoping Todoroki didn't see him as a threat. It was all true. Mirio, if Inko wasn't included, put all of his faith into Midoriya's succession. He had no doubts against him despite Sir Nighteye's insistence that Mirio be prince, but the blonde refused to listen and stayed loyal to his king's decision. He trusted Midoriya since day one and promised to keep the boy safe as his prince and future king. Even if Midoriya didn't have the title, the loyalty wouldn't have strained.

Todoroki visibly relaxed. It bugged him with how confident Midoriya was about his relations with the knight, but Midoriya wasn't wavering from the obvious friendship between them. It made him feel more at ease. There was so much he wanted to know about his mate and being with him on his small trip home could tell him more.

"I'm glad you had a better time transitioning from a commoner to a prince with others supporting you." Midoriya smiled, but there wasn't all of the sunniness Todoroki was used to and it bothered him.

"At least they did. Before that, I was just a nerdy commoner without a quirk." If he meant to make him sound useless to Shouto, it wasn't working. Silently, Todoroki reached out and grasped Midoriya's hand. He offered a reassuring smile to him, which was quietly returned. For the rest of the trip, they sat in comfortable silence with their hands still laced together.

Mirio and his friends were worried when they found out about Midoriya being seen by a mer, but had been too busy with their elite training to try and offer their assistance to keep him from being seen again. When it was discovered that the mer was the crown prince, Mirio was even more worried for his kouhai. He couldn't imagine the pressure on the prince's shoulders about his decision, but he wasn't allowed to think about it for long until their training barred them from the rest of what was going on.

When Sir Nighteye approached them with permission to leave their training to guard Midoriya, Mirio practically jumped at the opportunity. He wasn't exactly approving of Midoriya's friends with how easily it took for Shouto to find him again. And Bakugou's lack of finesse wasn't helping the knights look very professional or respectful. The three future elites would have to fix that reputation while keeping Midoriya safe from the ocean. They were prepared for anything, but knew when not to overstep their bounds or they face the wrath of the Todoroki. While Mirio was confident that he could take on the prince, he wasn't so confident when it came to the eldest Todoroki, the winged mer and the king himself.

But still, he couldn't help but feel elated that someone fell in love with Midoriya. He deserved a great other half and while the devotion of a mer was questionable morally, it was true. Mirio told himself that he'd let Midoriya choose what would make him happy, but he was more worried about how the advisors would react to that. As of right now, he could only focus on the task at hand and that was to escort the princes safely to the home village. Mirio grinned as he tightened the hold on his reins of his horse. He couldn't wait to see little Eri again!

* * *

Iida took his job as a guide seriously. He arranged for a carriage to take them around and had made sure to select areas that wouldn't cause an upset to the mer guests. It seemed like they were enjoying their time with Princess Fuyumi taking her time to speak with some vendors and shop owners. As the visiting princess, she was gifted dozens of presents and nice things as wedding presents for her upcoming nuptials. Hawks was mesmerized by her happiness and had to sit down and compose himself when Fuyumi turned to him with a pure white flower crown on her head. Wearing a simple white dress, she looked like the embodiment of angelic beauty. Dabi and Natsuo were looking around too, though as he watched, Dabi snorted. This busy city life was no different than the one in their kingdom. The only difference was humans had horses and mers had dolphins.

"Human society isn't bad in any case, but it's not like I'd want to move here or anything." His mother and sister loved coming to the surface. He understood since land produced some natural treasures that weren't available down home.

Bakugou eyed them closely. Of course they would try to tout their superiority here, they're shitty mers.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dabi gauged Bakugou's reaction and grinned. He elbowed Natsuo, signaling him to follow his lead.

"We should teach you guys the sayings we have in our kingdom about the pride of our people," the eldest Todoroki offered. Iida quickly gestured for his group to come together and listen. After the embarrassment in the hot springs and the festival, Iida would do anything to restore the honor of the knights.

With all eyes on them, Dabi grinned widely and Natsuo puffed out his chest.

"The seaweed is always greener in somebody else's lake. Some mers dream about coming up here, but it tends to be a big mistake." The way Natsuo spoke sounded...different. His pitch was changing every few words, but the knights weren't about to ask and risk offending him.

"Just look at the world around you down there on the ocean floor. Such wonderful things surround you. What more are you looking for?" Dabi spoke next and like Natsuo, his pitch changed a few times, like he was almost singing. Natsuo was grinning, his voice getting louder.

"Under the sea...under the sea, I tell you it's better down where it's wetter. Take it from me!" Bakugou grit his teeth. They were singing. They had to be. And it sounded patronizing as fuck. He hissed in Iida's direction.

"I feel like they're fucking with us. They're totally fucking with us. Let me blow them up." He didn't necessarily need approval, it was a warning before he did it. Iida jumped to hold him back. The mer brothers started to laugh, gesturing rudely at the blonde teen before going back to looking at some vendor's stall.

Bakugou was struggling against Iida, arms swinging with explosions setting off while the brothers were just a few feet away from impact. Bakugou's veins stretched against his skin of his head. Just let him have a second alone with those shitheads...

Fuyumi walked up to Iida, Hawks behind her and diligently carrying all the stuff she was given. She looked embarrassed by her brothers' antics.

"Once again, I sincerely apologize for my brothers' behavior. They are prideful, which is very much our nature. Those very lines they spoke were written by the ancestors centuries ago for the young." She shrunk back a little when they all looked at her for further clarification. She sighed.

"It's...a nursery song mers sing when the children desire to take up life on the surface. It works most of the time. Mer pride is quite strong. Mermaids like my mother and I love coming to the surface. It's not minded when it's for leisure, but frowned upon if there's talk of wanting to use potions to stay human permanently." In her time on this earth, never has there been a mer who sought to live on land. Iida knew this as well, still curious about courtship if there was ever a time of that conflict before now.

"This question may seem bizarre, Fuyumi-ojo, but have there ever been incidents of humans being attacked by mers who think they want their potential mates?" It was obvious that he meant it for Midoriya and Todoroki. She understood the fear because it would be true. It was good to be truthful.

"It's rare because those relationships are rare within itself. But it has happened. My cousin from my mother's side fell in love with another cousin of mine from my father's side. Their only relation is through marriage rather than blood, so not exactly taboo. My Todoroki cousin loved coming to the surface to shop and enjoy human activities often in Hosu. Eventually, she had a human fall in love with her even though she rejected him. Still, the feelings were strong on the human's side. Once my Hyoga cousin heard of it, he managed to lure the human to the ocean and forced him just under the surface and threatened him to stay away from her. When he didn't want to comply, my cousin kept him underwater until he agreed." Dabi was coming up behind her, catching wind of their conversation.

"Shiro did the right thing. He's a mer, it's in our nature to act when our mates are on the line. Hina told the human to back off and he didn't. Shiro told him to back off and he didn't, so he gets the water treatment. He was warned twice. The second time was a blessing." Hawks and Natsuo were nodding silently behind them. Even Fuyumi seemed to agree, albeit hesitantly.

"It's very effective when you want people to back off. I recommend it," Dabi added with a smirk. Tokoyami and Iida kept poker faces to not show any emotion, something Kirishima was showing a little too visibly in discomfort. Katsuki slouched in his position, growling at the older Todoroki.

"We don't go acting like a bunch of shitty yanderes when we want someone. It makes you look like an insecure little bitch." Dabi barely flinched. Why should he? He could incinerate the human and cast the ashes into the ocean, but he would leave it to Shouto since his little brother had more conflict with him. Instead, Dabi cupped a hand behind his ear.

"What? Sorry, all I heard was that your species are weak-willed cucks that can't take what belongs to you from other insects." He matched Bakugou's fierce glare. Ignorant humans were a favorite target of his to kill.

"Mers want someone who will tear out someone's throat for them. We want someone who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty with a little blood if it means getting rid of mosquitos acting like parasites." He was soon hit by a snowball from Fuyumi, who was red with embarrassment and frustration.

"Touya-nii-sama! You can't insult denizens of the kingdom just because they said things you disagree with!" Touya grumbled. Fuyumi was the boss of the siblings, despite being his younger sister. She had a better hand at diplomacy and he knew he had to listen.

She skittered over and went into a low bow that wasn't so appropriate for her status, but her brother's behavior warranted it.

"My apologies. My brother doesn't do well in foreign diplomacy. Please forgive his behavior." Iida quickly helped her rise. He couldn't allow her to be seen bowing to a knight like this. He knelt in turn for submission.

"And please forgive the insults from my fellow knight." Dabi kicked his steel armor lightly to get him to straighten up. He'd rather not deal with the headache of back and forth politeness.

"We'll be more cordial. Our apologies. We should set better examples as the Todoroki." He ruffled Fuyumi's hair in apology. She was the only one he was really apologizing to. He and Natsuo shared a look before the two made an excuse to go stare at some glass figurines. Bakugou was left glaring at their backs with Iida lecturing him on manners.

"Do you actually mean fuck with the blonde kid?" Natsuo asked once they were out of earshot, grinning mischievously. Dabi's smirk resembled a devil's.

"Hell fucking yes."

* * *

Underneath me, underneath me, darling it's better down where I'm wetter, give it to me~

The next chapter is going to be…well…

Very Tododeku-centric!

Next chapter preview:

 _Midoriya gently passed by his bathroom on the way to the stairs, a grunt grabbing his attention from inside. Panic gave his heart a start. What if Todoroki slipped in the bathroom? Maybe not, but he should check on him. At least to see if he was okay._


	9. Are They Fucking FUCKING!

_**It's rated M for a reason, y'all.**_

 _ **Sonchō** – a title of leader._

 _To my reviewers:_

 _ **Garnet168** : once again, thank you for being so kind!_

 _ **Dancibayo** : The Todoroki brothers should not allowed to be near each other for fear of menace._

 _ **Guests** : Dabi is a fabulous older brother as long as no one takes his advice seventy percent of the time. And school is about to happen again! So I'm still prepping for that._

* * *

The royal carriage was greeted by the leader of the village and his council. They bowed to Mirio and his knights before waiting patiently for the princes.

Midoriya practically flew out of the carriage, taking in the familiar smells and breeze of his home village. The villagers who had gathered immediately fell to their knees in greeting, which still was weird to him since he grew up with them.

Todoroki came out next, seeing the kneeling villagers before him. The leader recognized him quickly. The mer prince who chose Midoriya as a mate. He looked cold and aloof, which was the opposite of Midoriya. Still, he would do his honorable duty to respect his guest.

The leader bowed. "Midoriya-ouji, Todoroki-ouji. Welcome to Midori Village. It is an honor to house you during your stay in our humble village. Please let us know if there is anything you request or are unhappy with so we may rectify it immediately."

Todoroki merely blinked. "Thank you. I will be taking residence with the prince, for anyone curious about that. I request that we don't be disturbed." Behind the leader, a couple girls were blushing fiercely at the possible context given. Could this love already be taking an adult turn?

Midoriya bowed to his former village leader. "Sonchō-san, thank you for greeting us. We really don't need much. I just wanted Todoroki-ouji to see where I grew up."

The leader nodded. "Ah, like a date! Then shall we hold a feast in your honor?"

Midoriya had flushed red at the mention of a date, but Todoroki simply raised his brows in approval. People were getting it.

"No feast! Thank you, sonchō-san! We're going in now!" He marched into the village at a rapid pace with Todoroki close behind. The leader and villagers couldn't hold back their laughter and Midoriya could still hear it no matter how far he walked.

Mirio gave the reins of his horse to a stable boy and watched Midoriya zoom into the village. He frowned a little. He had to hurry and catch up with them, but he had duties to attend to. He hoped this trip will go well, but that meant educating the village on etiquette around the mers and who knows if the children could remember how.

"Where are you taking me?" asked Todoroki as Midoriya finally slowed down. His blush was now a fainter shade of red. He smiled confidently.

"I have some kids I want you to meet! Their names are Kouta and Eri. I played with them a lot before I had to leave the village. They'll really like you too!" Ah. Children. This was the perfect opportunity for Todoroki to see how Midoriya will treat their future children. The very idea of Midoriya holding their baby with a beautiful mixed white, red and green tail was a dream he will make reality.

Midoriya lead Todoroki towards one of the larger estates in the village, slowing down his step as they heard voices coming from the entrance.

"Eri! Wanna play?" asked the voice of a young boy. They got closer to see young Kouta in front of Eri and her bodyguard Chisaki, a young man with some weird, long mask on that covered the lower half of his face. Eri was giggling and opened her mouth to answer, but Chisaki plucked her up and held her out of reach.

"No, she won't." He stared down at Kouta like he was a mangy mutt. Kouta stomped his foot in a fit.

"Why not?!"

"Because I'll kill you, brat," Chisaki answered monotonously. Eri wriggled in his hold, trying to get him to pay attention to her.

"Can I play with Kouta-kun? Pleeeaaassse?" she begged. Chisaki usually listened to her when she did that. But that was only if she asked to share food with cats or for Chisaki to take her flower picking. He didn't set her down.

"No. I'm in charge when your dad's out. I know what's best for you. No snot-nosed brats dirtying the house. And no, you can't play outside. You'll get your new dress dirty. Go inside and play." He finally put her on her feet again, ignoring the way she pouted at him and started ushering her into the home. Midoriya decided this was the best time to make his presence known.

"Chisaki-san! Good afternoon!" he greeted, getting their attention quickly. Chisaki looked up at him and nodded.

"Midoriya. Eri, Midoriya's here. You can play with him instead." He nudged her over to Izuku, but she had no problem racing towards her favorite prince. Her eyes sparkled like stars.

"Izuku-san!" She held her arms out for a hug, something he did gladly as he picked her up and whirled her around. Both of them were laughing harmoniously. Kouta ran over to greet Midoriya too by hugging his legs and all three were laughing together. Chisaki walked up slowly, sizing up Todoroki with a stare. Todoroki stared back. What was this guy's problem?

"Bit of a far walk from the ocean, isn't it?" he asked, causing Todoroki to flinch a little. Before he could answer, Chisaki shrugged.

"Eri's family is in the trading business. We know all about Endeavor, what the important mers look like and who's in power. You're pretty up there, Todoroki-ouji. My name's Chisaki Kai, bodyguard of the newest generation's next clan leader, Eri. In actuality, I'm really just a babysitter." He didn't seem too bothered by that fact. Todoroki's eyes narrowed. This guy was a babysitter? He didn't even look like he liked kids, just liked having power over them.

Eri poked Izuku's cheek. "Who's that, Izuku-san?" she asked, pointing at Todoroki.

Midoriya gently set her down. Taking her and Kouta's hands, he led them to the mer prince.

"This is Todoroki-ouji. He's the prince of the ocean. Do you guys remember reading about merfolk?" Eri beamed. Yes, she remembered! And she liked reading that fairytale about mers!

She frowned a little as she gazed at the sea prince.

"I-if you're a merman, how come you have legs?" Eri asked, looking up and down Shouto. She had read stories about mers and someone in her clan sketched a mer they met while at work and that mer had a pretty tail. Chisaki half-heartedly wagged a finger at her.

"Eri, you can't ask people why they have legs." Shouto didn't mind. He knelt down to her level, which she blinked at and continued to rock herself on her heels.

"I became human. Just for now. Then I will be a merman again. I did it for Midoriya." She and Midoriya blushed. Excited, she turned to her prince with a starry-eyed expression.

"Izuku-san, are you gonna turn into a merman too?" she asked. Even Kouta wanted to know. Turning into a mer sounded like so much fun! Beach day is every day! Quickly, Chisaki cut in.

"Eri." He quieted her with a stern look. She stayed quiet and went back to playing. He turned to the land prince, who nervously glanced up. "Don't answer that, Midoriya. It's probably in your best interest not to."

He might have sounded rude for it, but he'd rather not have heard an answer that could get Eri in trouble for asking. He couldn't exactly explain away a corpse if the prince decided to punish Eri. Shouto held up a hand to him and turned back to Eri.

"Izuku can turn into a merman. That depends on if he wants it. Do you want to turn into a mermaid?" he asked her. She got crazy excited and squealed. She wanted to be a mermaid! Chisaki was horrified. What if Eri went in the ocean and some brat fell in love with her? He moved in close and lifted her off the ground.

"Wanna play mermaid? Go get your swimsuit and I'll watch you play in the pool." That meant the other brat would play with her. He can deal. She squealed, jumping out of his arms and running in to get changed. Izuku ran after her to make sure she got her swimsuit on properly. Kouta brightened up and started to take off his shirt. He was from a fishing family, so he was always ready to swim.

Chisaki led the other prince through the quiet home until they reached the backyard. A natural looking pool had been made out back. It looked more like a river. Todoroki only heard about rivers during classes. How small.

Chisaki glanced over at Shouto as they took their seats at the backyard table. "How long do you plan on staying?" he asked as Kouta dove into their pool.

Shouto shrugged. "As long as Izuku wants."

"No," Chisaki replied. "I hadn't finished. I meant how long do you plan to keep up appearances as a human? I would think your people would push for changing humans into mers rather than the other way around."

Todoroki stared at him blankly. "That's not really any of your concern."

Chisaki wasn't offended. "'I don't know' is an acceptable answer." He was glad his mask hid his smirk when Todoroki glared at him.

They were silent for a moment as Eri came charging out. She jumped into the pool with her blue swimsuit on. Kouta started swimming around to her and splashing in her face. To make sure they were okay, Izuku stripped down to his boxers and leapt in. Shouto took a minute to appreciate each curve and bulge of muscle on his body. While Izuku wasn't as muscular, he was well-defined. He loved it.

Chisaki brought out wine for himself as he watched over Eri, staying quiet because he was sure the merbrat would glare at him if he took his focus off of half-naked Izuku.

It didn't take long for them to be finished swimming, maybe about a half hour before Eri decided she wanted to do something else. It was long enough for Shouto to memorize every inch of Izuku's body. Ah, his mate was so attractive, so much more than he had ever dreamed of.

The children and Izuku were climbing out of the pool, bored with swimming since Eri had a list of things she wanted to play now that Izuku was back.

"I can do it myself!" Kouta argued when Izuku asked if he needed help getting out, the weight of water heavier thanks to his baggy shorts. Chisaki snorted. All that tough talk about being Eri's knight and he couldn't even get out of a pool. In support, Izuku had a hand on his back while the boy desperately tried salvaging his dignity. Eri had been plucked out of the water by Izuku, hands behind her back.

"Can we play wedding?!" asked Eri excitedly, bouncing happily and giving Izuku her best begging eyes. Chisaki lazily poured himself some wine.

"Her cousin's getting married in Hosu. She's very excited about being the flower girl," he explained as Izuku nodded to him. After making sure Kouta climbed out with him, Izuku knelt down to her.

"I'd love to play!" She cheered and raced back into the house with Izuku not far behind.

Chisaki glanced over to gauge Todoroki's expression. The mer didn't seemed very bothered. Todoroki caught him staring, narrowing his eyes in annoyance.

"What did you want me to do, kill her? She's six." He wasn't threatened by a little girl. Did humans really think mers were just monsters that reacted to everything towards their mates? Okay, maybe ninety-nine percent of the time, but still. Chisaki shrugged.

"Can't blame me for thinking it. Mers have a long track record of maiming their competition." Chisaki read about them and had heard stories from his coworkers and Eri's grandfather about a mer courtship fight. And who could forget Himiko, that crazy bitch who was told to have taken the eye out of a mermaid who faintly had an attraction to Dabi? Todoroki rolled his eyes.

"I don't see a kid as competition. I'm not that insecure. Now if someone ten years older than her came up to Midoriya, then she'd probably get skewered." Based on that faraway look in his eyes, Chisaki didn't argue.

Eri was running towards them with a black sheet.

"Shou-san! Do you want to play with us?" She looked like she'd be the type to cry if she got rejected. He nodded and knelt down.

"What do you need me to do?" Instead of answering, Eri made a big show to try and wrap the black sheet around him. She also had a little ribbon she tied into a bow that she put on his head. Chisaki lent her a helping hand by tossing the cloth around the prince. Eri stepped back and pointed at prince's quizzical look.

"You're the groom! Izuku-san's the bride! No peeking until I come back!" Who could argue with such a resolved statement? Dutifully, Shouto nodded.

"Sure." Besides, he wasn't going to argue with children who fully accepted the relationship. What a good kid. Eri turned to her babysitter.

"Chisaki-san! Can you be the mini?"

He lifted a brow. "You mean the minister? Sure. Where's my costume?"

She looked panicked for a brief moment, then turned tail and ran back to the house.

"I'm gonna get it!" she called. With her gone, Chisaki relaxed and turned his attention back to the prince.

"This is a pretend wedding. I don't want to hear that there was a misconception and the princes got eloped. I wouldn't hear the end of it." Todoroki rolled his eyes again. They really thought mers were that desperate?

"Of course it's pretend. This is just practice for the real thing." Chisaki looked away, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but here.

"Don't give reasons for someone to investigate our village for suspicious activity and elopements." Like Todoroki would do anything ridiculous like give Midoriya a modest wedding. Ocean weddings were grand and colorful. He had an entire treasury for Izuku's wedding baubles and accessories. But something was more pressing in his mind than the wedding.

"Tell me more about Izuku from how you know him. I heard being quirkless isn't sought after just like it isn't in the ocean." Chisaki hummed. He needed to be careful or he'd incur the wrath of a mer. And knowing the brat's older brother, he wouldn't be forgiven easily. Dabi was the mer with the notorious reputation that could match his own.

"Hmm, Midoriya's always been a stubborn kid. Growing up, we thought he'd be nothing. He had no quirk, he was scrawny as fuck and he shook like a leaf when he was scared. But he was a smart little shit and determined at that. He started working out a bit. Chased Eri around when they played. Almost puked on the first day because he had terrible stamina." He wanted to laugh, but he doubted Todoroki would let it slide. He coughed a bit before continuing.

"Eri liked him a lot because he was a good kid. Even though he was weak, she loved his kindness. He was the only one outside of family who wasn't scared of her. Her quirk can reverse yours and can rewind your entire being out of existence, so people were afraid to get near her because they didn't want to lose their quirks and their lives. Anyone who touched her were scared shitless and it made her feel like a monster. She's only a kid, so she doesn't know how to handle her quirk. We're going to move closer to the academy in Musutafu City so she can learn, but she's still pretty young and needs constant supervision. Midoriya was the only one who thought her quirk was healing than damaging. He told her she'd be a powerhouse and that he believed in her. He also figured out that her horn on her head was a key to her quirk, so we've been keeping it to a bump until she can better control herself as it grows."

How Todoroki processed it in his head was that Midoriya was kind and considerate to those shunned by society. Because he was shunned at one point.

"So he's kind." His chest was warm with love towards his mate.

"Kind and stupid. It's a compliment," Chisaki added when Shouto glared at him viciously, "I haven't been the best glorified babysitter for Eri. Her family took me in when I was a kid and I had no idea how to handle kids by the time she was born. I'd yell at her a lot and handle her roughly when she didn't listen. She'd get scared when I yelled and clam up, which made me more mad. He actually got in my face and demanded that I treat her better or else. Then he fucking punched me. That was stupid. I was about to kick his ass until Bakugou stepped in."

He could remember how the blonde teen had flown in between them and demanded that they fight because of the rumors of Chisaki's infamous fights around the village.

"When Midoriya was announced as the next king, we were all shocked. Eri was happy. She has never been so excited and now tries to be just like him. We get along better. Having him around makes her a normal kid." He finished his wine and flashed him a bored look.

"I know your kind. Mers are psychos. I'd rather not get on your bad side, so I won't. Whatever happens to the prince, happens. As long as Eri and her family don't get sucked in, I can care less." He sounded oddly protective at that last remark.

Shouto wasn't threatened. "I will not lash out at you for your behavior because it happened years ago, though I do have a desire to seek vengeance on those who wish to put him down. I don't think I need to warn you for the future since I'm sure you'll know what will happen."

Chisaki would rather not deal with it. "Scary. Taken him to bed yet? I'll need to know if I can't have Eri wish on her star at her window if she might hear sex noises coming from your house."

Shouto's eyes narrowed again. His sexual desire for Izuku could scare him off. "..."

The older man didn't suppress a grin. "Guess that's a no."

"I don't want to talk about it," Shouto forced out. Chisaki mockingly patted his shoulder in false comfort.

"You'll get there eventually. I'm keeping her away from the window anyway. You teenagers might change your mind like you do with everything else these days." Chisaki quickly dropped his mocking tone when Eri ran back to him with a top hat. He silently leaned down for her to plunk it on his head.

Giving an approving nod once she stepped back to look at her work, she ran back in.

In a few short minutes, she came out wearing a nicer looking dress and holding a basket filled with flower petals. Kouta came out with a pillow and two rings made out of grass stems and little daisies. Izuku was being led by them while wearing a silk white sheet like a priestess. The main show was for Eri to practice her flower girl skills. While the pretend wedding was more awkward than cute, Todoroki couldn't help but gaze at Midoriya like it was a true wedding. It would be the same look he'd give when the real wedding took place. Chisaki avoided adding a kissing line to his speech, ignoring Eri begging him to say the line. Eri didn't need to see public displays of affection. She tried kissing Kouta once when she saw her mom kissing her dad. Chisaki remedied that problem by whirling her around in the air in play until she was so focused on playing that she forgot about kissing. He was not going to have a repeat with the two princes.

* * *

Nighteye had to stretch his legs after being cooped up in his office for so long. Mirio and his team were with the princes now and Nighteye couldn't be worried about Midoriya if he wasn't in reach to check on. What he could check on were his kingdom's guests of honor. Endeavor and Rei were together, meaning that Nighteye couldn't get close without Endeavor thinking he was after the queen. Besides, the two were treating it like a vacation and weren't much of a bother. Still, Endeavor was a vicious king who ruled over his kingdom with a flaming fist and a loyal army just as bloodthirsty given their nature. Shouto and the king were often at odds thanks to Endeavor's detached parenting style, but there was no doubt that Shouto was just like his father in terms of his stubborn demeanor and sadism. Shouto was a great hero in his kingdom and would hunt large monsters in the sea to bring home to his family in a display of strength to prove his worthiness as heir. When Nighteye got a glimpse of the youngest prince one day during a conference at sea months ago, he was shocked to find the teen stained with blood and holding the head of a shark-octopus hybrid to give to his father.

...he was an idiot for allowing Izuku to take that mer back home.

The market was as busy as ever. The new season meant new supplies and inventory. He couldn't find fault in it with many civilians bustling about and doing their business respectfully and making a mock competition to sell the most for the day. Pumpkin treats were particularly bountiful this time of year. Nighteye was finishing his second pumpkin bar when he stumbled upon Iida and his touring assignment. The knight immediately bowed, followed by his knights. Fuyumi did the same, but the other mers looked exceptionally bored.

"Sir Nighteye, we're glad to see you. Is there something you need?" The advisor waved a hand dismissively.

"No, Iida-kun, continue with your assignment. I came simply to check on your progress." Iida nodded and stood back. Fuyumi bowed her head.

"Your knights have been very good to us. I have enjoyed their company thus far." Dabi snorted.

"Except for a few moments, don't forget those." At his answer, Fuyumi slanted a look in his direction.

"All thanks to your instigation, Touya-nii-sama." Her eyes wandered behind him and she immediately brightened. "Please excuse me. I see a flower stall just over there."

Nighteye smiled a little and gestured her over to the stall. The fall flowers were in full bloom and Fuyumi wanted to enjoy every moment. She was the politest of the Todoroki siblings and the most sympathetic towards humans. While she was still very much a mer, her understanding towards humans made her a key player in discussing business and policies in diplomacy.

Nighteye's gaze fell to Natsuo next, who was arguing over something with Hawks and Tokoyami. The boy was a nuisance. Add in his older brother and a headache would last weeks. The ice merman didn't like humans very much, though that didn't mean he was unkind. He didn't like Nighteye very much either, but the human slept well at night despite that fact so he wasn't bothered.

Then there was Touya.

Nighteye slowly approached the eldest Todoroki. Out of all of Endeavor's children, Touya was the hardest to read. Everything looked like a game to him, even battles. He laughed at the idea of death and took pleasure in granting death to any who crossed him. Dabi sensed his presence and glanced over.

"Need something, Sir Nighteye?" he asked, not masking the boredom in his voice. Nighteye's eye twitched.

"Just some questions, Touya-ouji." Dabi didn't have a reaction, silently waiting for whatever dumbass question the human could have. He didn't exactly have the best opinion of Nighteye. He reminded him of the humans he hated who judged mers for their ways. Nighteye kept his tone cordial and curious.

"As the eldest, weren't you first in line for the throne? I ask because it has always been tradition for the eldest to take over. Yet in the archives, it shows that you are fourth in line after your siblings." Eh, not a dumb question. But that didn't change Dabi's opinion of him. He shrugged.

"I'm not meant for the throne. I'm meant to be in the shadows and I like it. When my little brother becomes king, I'm gonna be the one killing his enemies in the back with my girlfriend while he rules our kingdom with your prince as his bride. I don't kill just the people after my mate." For a second, his eyes glinted dangerously. Nighteye didn't falter, not liking how definite he was that Midoriya would go to the ocean.

"The Todoroki clan breeds strong. I'm not an exception to that. And I protect my siblings because I'm their big brother. It's always been this way for me since Fuyumi was born. The enemies of my siblings are enemies of mine. With Shouto finding the prince as his mate, I'm sure the numbers of his enemies he has will quadruple. The humans must be uneasy that a mer prince is stealing theirs." Dabi was smirking now, but there was nothing joking about the killer glare he had.

"So I hope we continue to not be at odds. I can't exactly promise something friendly if it means hurting my brother. And no one hurts my family in front of me." No one survived to say otherwise. Dabi turned when he heard his name being called by Fuyumi, who was holding up some flowers to see which ones he wanted her to encase in ice and give to Himiko. He strode over to her and left the human alone. Nighteye resisted the urge to shudder. Todoroki Touya was the only child of the current king who hid in the shadows and rarely participated in royal meetings unless there was a discussion for fighting against rival territories. It wasn't a lie that Touya would handle the dirty work of the kingdom alongside the psychotic mermaid he took as his mate. The Todoroki had the main house dealing with the politics and running the kingdom while the extended would be the executioners of their laws. Touya chose that path and Enji boasted about his son's feats for others to be warned. Any alarms about possible assassinations against the family were quickly dealt with. The result was charred remains with only the teeth to identify the dead. Nighteye sighed. This was getting more complicated.

A screech coming from a few feet away had him at attention, his focus clearing. Iida and his friends ditched the tour to run to help. An entire stall of wares was violently thrown to the ground when a large man went barreling through a vendor's stall. Other men were behind him and ransacking the stall while the elderly vendor pleaded for them to leave his things alone. Nighteye felt a chill run down his spine. Bandits.

"Iida-kun!" he shouted. Iida didn't hesitate, using the engines in his legs to race towards the old man and carrying him away from harm.

Tokoyami's Dark Shadow shot towards the largest man, using him as a battering ram to knock the other bandits away from stealing.

More men were running towards the group, dressed just like the bandits. Kirishima found himself crossing hardened arms against a sword. He grunted to stay on his feet as he took the hit dead-on to protect a couple behind him. Bakugou, seeing red, flew towards them with his explosions. He used his elbow and crushed it against the bandit's neck, taking the man down with him and pressing his weight against his skinny neck. With his free arm, he drove his fist deep into the man's gut. The man's eyes bugged out and his mouth opened, his voice straining as he tried crying out. When he passed out from the pain, Bakugou released him and went to see if Kirishima was hurt.

"Oi, shitty hair, tell me that fucker didn't get through. I'll fucking kill him if he did," he growled as he hauled Kirishima off the floor.

The redhead grinned and flexed his bicep. "Nope! I'm harder than ever!"

Despite their situation, Bakugou smirked. "Don't say shit like that with a straight face."

Dabi backhanded a bandit who came close to him, giving him a disgusted look. He should really burn the man alive, but that would go against his promise to his mother about not causing trouble. And his father would let him have it for disobeying the queen. They all knew perfectly well that Dabi could take down a man without his flames. He elected to twist the man's arm behind and grabbed the man's cleaver, holding the blade to his neck.

"Move and let me kill you. I've been waiting for an excuse," he whispered into the bandit's ear. To his chagrin, the man practically passed out in fear. Dabi disgustedly threw him on the ground.

Natsuo was using his fog to keep him and his siblings covered and protected. He dodged when someone slashed at him and kicked them in the belly to get them to fuck off.

Hawks was using his feathers to drive bandits into the walls or ground around him. If any of them even touched Fuyumi, he was going to use diplomatic immunity and treason to protect him and kill the bandits.

Nighteye was squeezing his arms around the bandit he had in a chokehold, waiting for him to fall limp. His mind was racing as he thought about the mers who could use this as an excuse to kill.

But a rush of ice stopped any of his thoughts. The fog Natsuo made cleared out when the ice paved through and rose from the ground like weeds.

Fuyumi stood tall with her arms up in the air, one leg bent back when she was dodging the hands of one of the bandits. Ice was layered lightly on her pale skin, her breaths releasing in small clouds from the drop in temperature. All of the bandits were encased in blocks of ice with surprise and fear frozen on their faces. Fuyumi's eyes were closed in concentration, opening slowly once she stopped hearing the bandits' voices. She sternly glared at the assailants.

"Iida-kun, arrest these men immediately!" she ordered to the returning knight with an entire squadron. He quickly bowed.

"Hai! Tokoyami-kun, assist me in gathering these men!" Tokoyami complied with Dark Shadow shouting in victory.

Hawks was kneeling to Fuyumi, adoration in his eyes. "Fuyumi-chan, you saved us while looking like a true ice queen. Let's get married right now."

Fuyumi blushed brightly and tried to stammer out a reply, but Dabi beat her to the punch, literally. Her fiancé's head went forward by her older brother's fist.

"Get married properly, you dolt. Keep your dick in your pants." Cue Hawks shouting at him incoherently. Something about how could he not see how amazing Fuyumi was and other things.

Dabi was proud of his little sister, but he really needed an excuse to beat the shit out of someone. Damn weak bandits weren't enough. He grinned over to Nighteye, who was securing ropes around a man's wrists.

"Does my sister get a thank you for protecting _your_ people?" he teased mockingly. Fuyumi smacked him on the shoulder.

"Touya-nii-sama! Stop antagonizing!" she scolded. Someone needed to keep him in line when Mother wasn't present. He rolled his eyes, but didn't go further and went to check if Natsuo had any injuries. But as he approached his brother, Bakugou came into view. He was chatting the redhead up with a softer look on his face. Ah, love. Dabi knew that look well. Smirking, he waited for Kirishima to run off and help haul the bandits into a prison wagon.

Dabi took his chance to swoop over into Bakugou's view, grinning when the blonde glared daggers at him. This blonde was a bucket of emotions and amusement to him.

"You're totally fucking red boy over there. No one comes out that barbarically if their lover isn't involved," he pointed out, not hiding that he knew their connection.

Bakugou saw red, growling lowly. "Back off."

Dabi wasn't fazed, cooing mockingly.

"Aww, possessive, aren't ya? Kinda like the shitty yanderes you think we are?" When Bakugou didn't reply fast enough, Dabi held up a hand. "Here's the difference between us. My kind doesn't hesitate when anyone even looks at our mates wrong. What's the point of warning anyone when it's easier to make an example? My mate is a complete treat at it. She makes it a game."

He spoke fondly of his mate, which meant Bakugou could lump her in with the category of mers who needed to be rowed to hell alongside this freak show of a mer in front of him. Out of the few merfolk he spoke to, only two were tolerable. Dabi glanced over to Natsuo, who was childishly waving at the bandits being carted away.

"Natsuo! Look! Blondie here acts like a mer after all! Make him feel welcome!" he shouted with a smirk while Bakugou twitched. Natsuo beamed brightly.

"Does he?! Awesome! 'Cause under the sea~! Under the SEA~!" he sang loudly and obnoxiously. Bakugou was going to buy a filleting knife off a vendor.

While Dabi and Natsuo continued to laugh at Bakugou's expense, Nighteye was left feeling a little more than peeved that the mers he didn't favor had been more helpful in stopping bandits than himself. But he chose the safety of his people over his pride.

Nighteye got up, walking closer to Fuyumi and kneeling before her. "Fuyumi-ojo-sama. I thank you for your protection. We are in your debt."

She quickly waved him off, red with embarrassment.

"No, not at all! Those with the power to protect should use them to do so. I don't come nearly as close to my knights or to the heroes of this land," she replied humbly. Hawks gasped behind her.

"Fuyumi's the best, dammit! You should be grateful that she even looks at you!" he shouted, feeling jealous that Fuyumi's attention was on someone else. Natsuo and Dabi held him back to keep him from being more embarrassing.

Nighteye shook his head as he promptly ignored Hawks. "I shall be sure to pay you in kind for your deed."

She quickly shook her head and smiled. "Our kingdoms will be closer in the future. I just ask that you continue to show respect as I will be sure that we will."

Nighteye would be sure to do that, but still. He was worried for the future of his kingdom. He needed to stop worrying so much, but it was difficult not to. Questioning a bunch of bandits and arranging a raid on their base could help keep his mind off things.

* * *

Mirio had come by to escort the princes back home by dinnertime, greeting Eri and Kouta with a bear hug. Chisaki nodded stiffly at them as the knight and two princes thanked him for hosting them. Izuku waved widely to Eri as they walked away from the estate. Chisaki was aloof as always and was more focused on kicking Kouta out next. Shouto smiled at Izuku's giddy happiness. He was going to be a great parent one day.

Dinner consisted of something Amajiki was cooking when Mirio and his team went hunting. Nejire was no longer allowed to cook since the incident of chocolate hazelnut spaghetti. To prevent the possibility of execution from Todoroki, Amakiji assumed direct control with the deer Mirio brought back. Nejire whooped into the air.

"Let me be entertainment for tonight!" she begged her prince. Amajiki jittered as he shook his head.

"You don't need to be anything. Just sit down. You're bringing attention to us," muttered Amajiki uncomfortably, turning the meat on the bonfire.

Midoriya was laughing as he opened the windows of his home to let out the musk. It was really great to be home again. From the window, he could clearly see the faces of everyone in the backyard. From Mirio's grand smile and Todoroki's disinterested stare to everyone, Midoriya didn't feel as disconnected as he sometimes did when he looked out a window from the castle. He had started here in this village as a nobody. It was like he was a completely different person once he had All Might standing before him with the request to be prince.

But here he was again, now a prince accompanied by the elite and a handsome mer prince who wanted him. He wondered how his past self would react to this.

"Midoriya-ouji, please get Nejire under control before she juggles all the eggs and breaks them again!" Amajiki called out. Midoriya was snapped out of his thoughts, peering down to find that Nejire was happily tossing eggs up in the air with her wave quirk and moving them in a circle. She was giggling maniacally before Midoriya quickly swooped in using One for All as he jumped out the window, grabbing each egg and landing perfectly on his feet. She cheered loudly and applauded.

"Perfect ten!" she sang. Mirio took the eggs from Midoriya as the prince shyly scratched his head.

Todoroki took his time to admire him. He was good with his quirk and gentle, which was surprising for someone who didn't have a quirk until months ago. This was why Midoriya was the prince. He saw how everyone respected and loved Midoriya, which was better than the disdain he received before. He made a promise to himself to personally end anyone who showed disdain again. His heart fluttered when Midoriya suddenly brought him a plate of food. Like a dear, caring spouse.

"I normally cook when I'm home, but everyone insisted that I don't," he muttered, glancing up to his bodyguards.

"We serve the prince, which includes food!" Mirio declared with Nejire cheering and Amajiki hiding behind the pile of firewood. Todoroki could only hope that the three would serve elsewhere so he could get more alone time with Midoriya.

The gods must favor him immensely. Mirio had told them that they had to spend their nights with Eri and her family because they gladly offered them a place to stay in exchange for caring for the girl with Chisaki. Their estate had more room for them. Sleeping at Midoriya's meant a couch, a hallway, and the backyard.

Midoriya took a huge breath of air and exhaled as his guards disappeared into the evening. He turned to the prince, surprised still to see him gazing lovingly at him. He quickly cleared his throat.

"Todoroki-kun, I hope you don't mind my home. It's only been me and my mom. It's a lot different from castles and the city." Midoriya realized how small it was compared to even just the royal kitchen. According to Nighteye, the mer palace had rooms decorated heavily with pearls and plenty of space. He was afraid of bringing him into his own kitchen. They could be so cramped standing from chest to chest. Todoroki smiled gently and shook his head.

"I don't mind at all. It's pretty cozy." It meant he was closer to Midoriya. Too much castle meant too much space between them. Midoriya sighed in relief. Last thing he wanted was for Todoroki to think poorly of his old home.

Todoroki has finished changing into his sleeping garments, which consisted of a loose fitting shirt and pants. Midoriya was humming in thought as he paced the living room.

"Should he take my room or Mom's? It would be awkward to put him in Mom's, but my room is kinda small and that's probably disgraceful for a royal guest..." his muttering was cute buzzing to Todoroki's ears.

"I don't mind either way. If we plan on sharing, I would choose what makes you comfortable." The mer smiled as he spoke, not trying to allude to the fact that he wanted to sleep next to Izuku.

The green haired prince perked up. "Sharing?! Sharing, right!"

Determined now, he clenched a fist and raised it close to his jaw.

"That's what couples do! They share beds! And we're kinda a couple, right?" he asked, looking to Todoroki for assurance.

Shouto smiled warmly. "We kissed. I think that makes us close to one."

Izuku shook nervously, but he tried to get the words out. "A-alright! So we're a couple! Great! So we should go to my room!"

The calmer of the two gently grabbed the other's hand. "Works fine for me."

* * *

Sleeping in the same bed that was smaller than the ones in the castle ended up being much tighter than Izuku thought. Shouto didn't have a complaint, lying down without needing to readjust. Izuku was beyond nervous to share a bed with someone else. He crashed into bed next to Shouto and curled into a ball from embarrassment. Heart pounding, Izuku worked up the nerve to glance over at Todoroki, who was already dozing off with a soft expression on his face. Nerves subsiding, Izuku smiled a little and fell asleep quietly.

Todoroki wished sleep came to him as easily as it had for Midoriya. His mate's gentle turning roused him from sleep. But it also aroused him to feel him shifting so closely thanks to the smaller bed. Ah, this wasn't good. This was very, very bad. Mers were quite sexually active when they found their mates. Litters upon litters of babies were normal for couples. For a species that could easily kill one another over mates, the numbers were made up by the amount of children mers had. Like any merman who sleeps next to their mate, Todoroki was getting a hard-on.

Not good, Midoriya would be scared and upset if he saw. An innocent sleep shouldn't be disturbed by such naughty thoughts. He slowly pulled himself out of bed, careful not to disturb Midoriya. He was going to be a good mate and not ruin his beloved's needed sleep. If he wasn't going to take Izuku's body, he could at least delve into the fantasies and dreams he had planned for their first night together. He escaped into the bathroom with his left arm giving off a candle flame to guide him into the bathroom.

He used his flames to light the small candle sitting on the sink in its holder. The light was faint, but it was enough for him to envision Izuku in his arms and showing off his tight hole.

Pulling off his trousers, Todoroki sighed as his erection sprang out of the cloth. Until he received the real Izuku, this would have to do. This has to do, because he would never force a Izuku to give pleasure if he did not receive any from it. Reaching a hand down, he let his mind take him to Izuku using that sweet mouth of his on his cock.

* * *

Midoriya woke when he felt the other side of the bed was empty when he rolled over to that side. He normally was a heavy sleeper, but sleeping next to someone made him hyper aware of his surroundings. Sitting up, He groggily looked around the room for his guest. The tour of the house didn't take long since the house was small

Midoriya slowly passed by his bathroom on the way to the stairs, a grunt grabbing his attention from inside. Panic gave his heart a start. What if Todoroki slipped in the bathroom? Maybe not, but he should check on him. At least to see if he was okay.

Gulping as he approached the door, he was thinking of the excuses to say if Todoroki was indeed alright and Midoriya would be encroaching on his privacy.

The bathroom door was open just a crack, forgotten by Todoroki's haste. Midoriya saw this as a good opportunity to check on him. If he was okay, the door would quietly shut. If not, it could swing open. With one eye, he peered in through the crack.

His eyes bulged when they fell onto Todoroki's dick. Todoroki was massive. It was longer and thicker than his own. It was probably because of his mer biology and that meant that Todoroki was a top. Midoriya read, for scientific purposes, that gay mers had distinct features on who dominated in intercourse. Mermen who dominated had way larger cocks that knotted their mates. Mermen also took fertility potions to have their own biological children, which was better for them since it was stated that mers had sex almost every day and led to increased chances of pregnancy.

Shouto's cock was thick with precum coating the head. The length promised to drill deep inside and the way Todoroki moved his hips left little to the imagination.

Todoroki stroked up and down his cock, moaning as he threw his head back. "Izuku..."

Midoriya nearly fell over. Did he see...? No, his eyes were shut tight. The way he moaned his name sent blood down his nether regions. Shouto was definitely attractive, but this was completely different. In spite of himself, his mind wandered to the possibility of Todoroki using that thick cock on him. Could he take in all of that? Oh...

He shuddered thinking about it. Knees quaking, he fell forward and hit the door with a thud. The door shut tight, shocking Shouto from his fantasy and freezing Midoriya's blood. The human prince took off back to his room, cheeks blazing red and his hearing fading to a loud ringing. He invaded Todoroki's privacy. The other prince would be upset with him, which would be the first time Midoriya would be in the receiving end of the mer's negative emotions. Ever since they met, Todoroki treated him kindly and made every effort to make him feel wanted in a way no one wanted him before. And Midoriya embarrassed him during a private moment. He shouldn't be so shocked that Todoroki felt that way and the prince had even gone in a different room so that Midoriya wouldn't wake up to something so intimate. _'He'll...he'll hate me!'_ Izuku thought, cursing himself for being nosy.

The bedroom door opened again, slowly. Izuku froze as he heard steps approaching the bed, but instead, a heavy weight fell on his desk chair.

"I...I'm sorry," the mer apologized quietly. Surprised, Midoriya turned to him and his heart broke a little at the sight. Todoroki looked ashamed of himself, fists clenched around the fabric of his pants. His clothes had been hurriedly thrown on, creased and wrinkled. Izuku frowned.

"No, Todoroki-kun. I should've been more active in leaving when I saw you. My lingering further invaded your privacy," he replied. Todoroki didn't seem to agree.

"You're free to linger as you wish. This is your home. Had I been more proactive in keeping my privacy, I should've taken care to lock the door. Instead, it's like I took advantage of your kindness and used you to sexually relieve myself." The mer spoke in disgust of himself. Midoriya was not a sexual object by any means, but the feelings and desire for more physical affection was a curse upon merfolk. Midoriya braved himself and glanced down, seeing a tent in Todoroki's pants.

"You didn't..." he gulped, "finish."

Todoroki shook his head. "No. It didn't feel right when I upset you."

Midoriya quickly rose a hand to stop him. "Todoroki-kun, you didn't upset me at all. I was really surprised to see you, but I wasn't disgusted. You shouldn't feel ashamed. But I..."

He blushed brightly. "I do this to you? I arouse you that much?"

The hot spring was one thing days ago, but that was just seeing his arousal through a towel. This time, Todoroki was aroused enough to take action in private. It's not like Midoriya had been trying to put himself in that position. A mer's love is truly something from a fairytale. Sticking to honesty, the mer prince nodded.

"Yes, I am sexually attracted to you. This is how my body reacts to even thinking about you." Todoroki stood, hands sliding to the hem of his pants. Keeping his eyes trained on Midoriya, he waited to see any resistance or fear in the other prince. He only saw curiosity. Todoroki took it as permission and continued. His thumbs caught the waistline of his pants and gently pulled down until his erection was visible.

"I became human to meet you again. This body is yours to do what you wish because my desire for you led me to choose to become human. If you are ever to become a mer in the ocean with me, I will continue to grant you pleasure as a mate should." Midoriya didn't look away from the erection, swallowing when he realized his mouth was slack open.

"You really...you really feel this way about me?" he asked carefully, amazed rather than afraid. His body was growing hotter as he imagined that cock pulsing in his hands.

Shame aside, Todoroki smiled a little when he saw Midoriya growing hard underneath his flimsy pants. "My body doesn't lie. Mer, human, it doesn't matter. I am aroused by you because you are my mate. I may not know the intricacies of sex as a human, but..."

He stepped closer to the bed, pants abandoned on the floor. He sat next to Midoriya on the bed. If Midoriya wanted him to stop, he was more than willing to step back and take care of himself in the bathroom. But if there was any desire to continue, Todoroki was going to give his mate anything he wanted.

"You can show me. Show me how humans give each other pleasure. Or I will be just as happy to take care of this alone." Unable to stop himself, Izuku trembled as he kissed Shouto on his own volition. Bolder and driven by his desires to please his mate, Shouto kissed back with fervor. They deepened the kiss further with their tongues dancing between their mouths. Shouto's hands lay on Izuku's shoulders, bringing him closer. His heart was rapid with excitement. This is what he longed for with his mate. He was so close to appropriately giving Izuku love suiting the merfolk way. All he needed was permission from his mate and he will make the boy scream his name.

Todoroki seized his hand and gently laid it onto his cock. With his fingers, he laced Midoriya's around his and dragged them up the shaft until he reached the tip leaking with precum. Midoriya's breath hitched in his throat as the droplets smeared his hand and around his fingers. His bones felt like jelly, following as Shouto played with the tip of his cock with Midoriya's fingers. Midoriya's own cock was growing stiff with lust. It didn't go unnoticed by Todoroki.

"Let me bring you to ecstasy, Izuku." The way he growled his name sent pleasurable shivers down his spine. Shakily, Izuku nodded and moaned out when Todoroki immediately wrapped his warm left hand around his cock.

"Ha...ahh!" he moaned as Todoroki began gently stroking up and down his cock. Each drag was slow and deliberate, like Todoroki was waiting for him to ask and beg for more. Midoriya dared himself to look Todoroki in the eye, stiffening when he met his intense heterochromatic eyes. He was intent on giving Izuku full pleasure like a mate should. The hand on his cock quickened its pace, leaving Midoriya a moaning mess as he gripped whatever part of Todoroki he could. With unsteady hands, he pumped Shouto's cock in hopes of giving him the ecstasy he was experiencing.

To his surprise, Todoroki nearly crumbled. He was groaning into Midoriya's ear, in bliss now that his sexual fantasies involving Midoriya were reaching fruition. The human's face heated up when Todoroki began thrusting his hips to feel Midoriya's fingers glide along his cock. Thoughts of his mate were satisfying, but feeling and reveling in his touch was amazing.

Moans weren't held back as he voiced his ecstasy. Any physical affection was welcome from his mate and he would make it his life's work to have Midoriya feel even a percent of how good Todoroki felt. They both fell onto the bed facing each other. The bed being small was the perfect excuse for Todoroki to be so close. He inched closer until their cocks touched. When the tips coated with warm precum pressed against each other.

The human gasped, gazing down. Todoroki's cock was much bigger than his and his curiosity filled his mind with dirty thoughts surrounding it. What mess it could do inside of him, how far it can go, how many times they could cum in one night. But he forced himself not to spread his legs and see those thoughts through. He wanted his first time a little later. But it frightened him with how quickly they were going in their relationship. Midoriya liked the prince, but love it may not be.

If Midoriya was going to have sex, he wanted it out of love. Right now was consensual and the strings attached were not as defining as traditional intercourse.

Todoroki's hips stuttered as he reached his peak, fingers working faster to bring Izuku pleasure first before he did.

"Todo-Todo-! Ahh! TODOROKI-KUN!" the human shouted, swinging his head back as his body shook with his orgasm. In his ear, Todoroki groaned as growled his name before cumming in a voiceless scream. Evidence of their little affair stained the sheets as they collapsed with their full weight on the bed.

Izuku mewled in sleepy bliss, giving one last smile to Shouto before he fell asleep from being so drained. Shouto didn't mind, gathering the prince into his arms and pressing a kiss on his forehead. He clicked and crooned like a proud mate would. Making sure the blanket was on top of them and warmed with his quirk, Todoroki fell asleep to the gentle snores of his dear mate.

* * *

 **It's that time again. School has come back and I already am tired of this semester. I want to thank everyone again for their kindness and understanding as everything has unfolded. I hope this chapter satisfies you. I hope to be back soon. This semester is another three months, but who knows if it will be longer thanks to the winter short semester happening right after. While I'm glad that time goes by for school, man I didn't expect it to go by fast for break!**

 **I have tumblr if anyone would like to ask me things! It's under 'winternightlullaby' and while I'm not as active on the site, I lurk constantly. I am just lazy at posting anything.**

 **Next chapter preview:**

 _"Had I been allowed my way, I would continue until we are both exhausted and spent. Proof of our mating would show when it runs down your thighs. However," his smile shone innocently, "I cherish every moment we spent together. I will not push you for more unless you beg me to. I will always want your touch, but I want to be sure that you want me as well."_

 _…_

 _"Could you accept this as a gift? I know it's not a grand gift like your pearl to me, but I tried my hardest to make it! And my uncle put his stamp of approval on it! Well…maybe he did it because I'm his nephew and he wasn't exactly going to sell it so he wouldn't care as much-"_

 _…_

 _"Oi. How bad would relations be if I accidentally happened to off one of their heads?"_


End file.
